What the Disguise Won't Hide
by CarribbeanLady
Summary: A/H. Private Eye Edward Masen has always played the womanizer when going undercover but now he has decided to go a different route. Introducing Ted Cullen, extreme computer nerd and Edward in disguise. Let's hope his newest assignment isn't hot for geeks.
1. Chapter 1

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

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The sun was bright as I stepped out of the taxi and on to the busy sidewalk. Making sure my sunglasses were protecting my eyes, I closed the cab door before stuffing my hands in my pockets and heading for the entrance to the skyscraper. I had to climb a few steps until I reached the revolving doors that lead into the fancy lobby. This was one of the condo buildings in Seattle that went above and beyond expensive. It was the break-the-bank type of building where only the rich and famous resided. Inside was marble floors (which I'm sure were shipped straight from Italy), chandeliers with real crystals and fixtures with golden finishes. This was a millionaire's heaven.

I had a good look around the lobby before heading towards the elevators that lead to the condos above. But I didn't make it as a guard stepped right in my path. He had a sort of doorman uniform on but I was sure he would kick my ass if I were seen as trouble. Anybody who came into these buildings were questioned, unless the man knew you well.

"State your business," he barked, his voice deep and tough.

Taking off my sunglasses, I smiled at him. "I'm here to see a Mrs. Newton," I answered smoothly.

He frowned, looking me up and down suspiciously. "I wasn't told of any visitors."

I merely shrugged and he glared at me before stomping off to his desk. Picking up the phone he dialed a number, his watchful eyes on me while it rang. I simply stood where I was, rocking back and forth on my heels and whistling a small tune. He grimaced until Mrs. Newton must have picked up. His whole demeanor changed from serious and tough to bright and cheerful in seconds. "Hello, Mrs. Newton?…Yes, it's the front desk calling. I've just been talking with a…" he looked me up and down. "Young man who says you've sent for him?" He paused, murmuring a few "yes'" and "uh-huh's" before putting his hand over the phone. "What's your name kid?" he hissed.

_Kid, _I thought with a snort. I was twenty-five, not so much kid material. "Edward Masen," I answered with a smirk.

He repeated my name into the phone before a crestfallen look came across his face. Mrs. Newton obviously knew who I was. Grinning triumphantly, I replaced my glasses on my face and waited for him to wave me through. He was sadly saying his goodbyes before hanging up. He glowered at me as I shrugged and headed for the elevators.

It didn't take long for the lift to reach the lobby and so it shouldn't since a rich person was usually impatient. Or maybe I was just stereotyping. Chuckling to myself, I stepped inside and pressed the top floor as the golden doors shut and my ride began.

Using the mirrors that surrounded me, I fixed my already out of control hair into that perfectly mussed up look. Women apparently swooned over locks like mine, or that's what I'd been told in the past. I always told myself that it was all a part of the job. Having the looks meant easier access to information in the undercover world, especially if you were working a woman. If I thought less of myself I wouldn't think that Mrs. Newton would be like putty in my hands soon enough. They all melted into puddles when hit with an Edward Masen smile…other people's words, not mine.

The doors slid open and I stepped out into a small hallway with only one door. Checking that everything was in place, I knocked. It only took a moment for the door to swing open and Mrs. Newton to appear. She was short, much shorter than me, with frizzy, brown hair and a round sort of face. She was thin although her torso was longer than her legs. I could see the appeal that Michael Newton had for her but I wouldn't be so stupid as to marry her. Getting attached to a woman physically was one thing, but getting super glued to her with the whole wedding kit and caboodle was another thing entirely. I wasn't moronic enough to even think of marrying a woman. I enjoyed the bachelor life far too much to give it up over one girl.

The woman fluttered her eyelashes in what I supposed was to be a flirtatious move. I thought it made it look like she had something in her eye. "Hello, Edward," she purred, leaning against the doorframe.

"Mrs. Newton?" I questioned.

"Just call me Jessica," she giggled.

Knowing I was already halfway to having her do anything I wanted, I went in for the kill. "Jessica," I murmured, pulling out that crooked smile that made Jell-O out of women.

It worked. She let out a heavy breath, her cheeks turning pink and her eyes glazing over. Yeah. I had this one in the bag. My God, women were so easy.

"May I come in?" I teased, moving closer.

"Of course!" she stuttered, waving me inside. I passed her, stepping into the expansive living space of the condo. It had a modern look to it, with colours like white and silver. It was what people might call an open plan space with the kitchen to the left. There was no wall in between the two rooms to give it all a more spaced out feeling. In the kitchen were stainless steel appliances and marble counter tops. The whole far wall was made up of floor to ceiling windows looking over the Seattle skyline. You could even see the Space Needle in the distance. This truly was a premium condo.

"Please, sit down," Mrs. Newton's shaky voice came from behind me. She was clearly flustered still. "Would you like anything to drink?"

"No, thank you," I answered politely. "I'm just here for my assignment."

She looked embarrassed for a moment. "Oh, yes," she said. "Um, well. You might know my…husband well." She paused on the husband part and I thought I heard some disappointment in her voice.

"Yes," I agreed. "Michael Newton of Cityspace Cooperation. It's a software company, am I right?" She nodded. "And it's one of the top software companies in the world, right behind Microsoft, correct?" Again she nodded. I sighed. "So I suppose your husband wants me to find out a rat in the company who continually gives away their ideas?"

She finally shook her head and spoke. "Oh, no! Nothing to do with the company. But…it is about my husband." I raised my brow and she continued. "Well…he's been staying out longer at night and he won't answer my calls. I'm kind of worried. Well I believe that…he's…having an affair with his personal assistant." That last part came out quickly as she squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her lips together.

Another potential affair case. I'd seen plenty of them. "I see," I murmured. "And who is his personal assistant?"

She looked very angry all of the sudden. "She's a snake," Mrs. Newton hissed, sounding a little like the reptile herself. "Her name is Isabella Swan and…and…she's trying to steal my husband! You have to expose her!"

I raised my brows at her suddenly vicious demeanor. She obviously hated this Isabella and it was my job to find out why. Was this woman really as evil as Mrs. Newton made her out to be? It could go either way. From my experience, jealous wives were sometimes right and sometimes wrong. "So you believe that Ms. Swan is trying to get to your husband for…?"

"The money," she said right away. "And bragging rights, I suppose. I mean, how could she do that to my Mikey?" Her lip quivered and her eyes watered as she swept her hand across her face dramatically. "He did nothing to deserve this."

"Are you sure that this affair is one sided?" I asked.

She glared murderously at me. "Of course it is!" she snarled. "My husband is innocent! He would never cheat on me."

"I just like to get the facts straight, Mrs. Newton," I answered, holding my hands up. "Most cases I've had have not been one sided."

"Well this one is!" she snapped. "It's all that dirty slut's fault and I want her to pay!"

"All right," I said, trying to calm her. "I'll look into."

She grinned, fluttering her eyelashes again. "Thank you," she whispered.

I smirked at her. "Not a problem, Mrs. Newton."

She tittered and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Didn't I ask you to call me Jessica?" I mustered up a smile but didn't answer. She continued with a grin. "Well I have set up a few things to help you on the case." She walked (or rather sashayed since she shook her ass so much) over to the coffee table where an unmarked envelope sat. She picked it up before handing it to me. "It has the keys to an apartment in the same building as her. Number three-oh-two, if I'm not mistaken. That's the seventh floor. She's on the fifth. The apartment has everything you'll need in it. But if you need…anything…don't be afraid to ask me." Again with the fluttering eyelashes! Yeah, I'll be sure to get back to you on that sweetheart. And here she was calling this Isabella a snake. Like the pot calling the kettle black.

"And," she continued. "I've also got you an interview at Mike's company. You're to report to the mailroom tomorrow at seven am sharp. I'm pulling a few strings so don't mess this up."

I nodded and smirked. "I don't mess up," I said confidently. "I'll get myself a new identity and start the job."

"Good," she answered. "I'm counting on you to expose this disgusting snake for what she is!"

Smirking, I winked at her before pulling down my sunglasses. "That's my job, Mrs. Newton." Then, without another word, I left the condo chuckling to myself. I opened the envelope in the elevator and checked everything that was in it. She'd even put a map of where my temporary home was going to be. But I knew, as I stepped out of the elevator and passed the pissed guard, that there was one place I had to go before I went to check out my new digs.

The cabbie was a little angry when I told him I wanted a ride to the suburbs. But when I threw over a few twenties he lightened up immediately. It was amazing what some people paid me to investigate for them. There seemed to be a lot of insecure people who believed their spouse was cheating on them or their workers were helping another company. That's where I came in. Edward Masen, private detective extraordinaire. I didn't have my own PI firm but I was able to work with the local police. I had some links inside and they didn't mind giving up some information to me. But other than that (and my techy partner), I was on my own.

I made the driver stop at a local grocery store. I had to pick up something for my partner. He'd appreciate it, I was sure. After picking up what I needed, I got the cabbie to take me to my old neighbourhood. With the cookie cutter houses and the perfectly manicured lawns, my childhood home was the same as everyone's else's. But instead of turning on to my old street, I made the taxi drive me down two more streets until we got to another road I knew so well. Five houses to the right was where my partner was stationed. It was a two story home with a cheerful yellow as the siding and rose bushes surrounding the front step. I got out of the taxi and he took off immediately, probably thinking I'd want some of my cash back. I ignored him and went for the white front door instead.

Ringing the doorbell, I waited a second before it was opened by a plump little woman. Her skin was tanned, her hair a deep black while it hung around her shoulders and her eyes a very dark brown. She was dressed in jeans and a purple t-shirt with an apron hanging around her waist. As soon as she saw me she yanked me forward for a hug.

"Oh, Edward! It's so good to see you again!" she laughed.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Clearwater," I answered as she let me loose.

She smiled widely. "And you're just in time! I'm making cookies! Would you like one?"

I rubbed my stomach and grinned. "Mmm, sounds delicious."

She giggled before dancing off to the kitchen. I let myself inside, closed the door and toed off my shoes as she came back with a tray of sugar cookies. They were shaped as little pink hearts. "It's almost Valentine's Day!" she said as I took one and stuck it in my mouth. Of course it was amazing. Mrs. Clearwater could cook like nobody's business. "Do you have anyone special…?" she prodded as I swallowed my treat.

I shook my head, snatching another cookie off the tray. "Not this year."

"Oh," she said with a frown. "That's terrible." _Here it comes_, I thought while chewing on my other cookie. "You know Leah mentioned you yesterday when she called me?"

"Is that so?" I asked.

"Mmmhmm," she went on. "My poor baby's got no one this Valentine's Day too."

"I thought she was dating that young guy," I said, already knowing that she was taken. "What's his name? Jacob Black?"

Mrs. Clearwater's bottom lip stuck out in what looked like distaste. I didn't see anything wrong with Leah dating the Jacob guy. He was a little younger than her, but from what I heard they were really happy. But this happened every time I came over to the Clearwater's house. Leah and I used to date back in high school but it was sort of a stepping stone for both of us. We ended it right after graduation. However, Mrs. Clearwater seemed to still hold on to the thought of us being together. No matter what day it was, she always brought up her daughter. It was actually rather amusing.

"Well he's just a little fling," she said quickly. "But she won't stop talking about you! Wouldn't it be lovely if the two of you went out to have dinner together on Valentine's Day?"

I smiled at her. "I think Leah has plans," I told her gently. "But these heart shaped cookies are delicious."

She frowned but smiled again when I mentioned her baking. "It runs in the family," she said with a wink before going back to the kitchen. "All we Clearwater women know how to cook!"

That wasn't exactly true since Leah did try and make me spaghetti once and it turned into a smoky disaster. But then again she may have changed since then. "Is your son in, Mrs. Clearwater?" I asked.

"Downstairs!" she called back.

I thanked her before going to the door that lead to the basement. It was almost completely dark as I stepped down to close the door after myself. I could hear the dim sound of computer's whirring as I continued my descent to the carpet below. Anyone could see that it was a bedroom. There was a messy bed against the wall across from the stairs and a dresser with clothes hanging out of every drawer. To the right was a huge set up of computers (at least three screens) with printers and scanners and machines I couldn't even name. Papers were scatted about the desk and the computer monitor's were all a blue screen. Turning around the end of the staircase you could see a big screen television with a couch in front of it. The TV showed a racing game and I could see the outline of someone on the sofa.

"No! Don't cut me off damn it!" a teenage boys voice shouted at the screen. The race seemed to have ended and the boy must have lost because he was hissing profanities loudly.

"Better luck next time, Seth," I said and he turned around.

In the dim light of the television screen I could just make out his facial features. He still looked a lot like his mother with the tanned skin, black hair and dark brown eyes but he was definitely all his father personality wise. Like every teenager his skin wasn't perfect but Seth didn't really give a shit since he was in the basement almost all day. If it weren't for high school, he would never leave this room. The kid enjoyed the cyber world far more than reality.

Quickly, he shut the television off and got off the couch to turn on a lamp. Once he noticed who was standing in his room his surprised expression changed into that of a mob boss. Putting his arms behind his back, he proceeded to walk past me. "Masen," he said in a voice very unlike his own. "I've been expecting you." He'd definitely watched way too much of the _Godfather_.

Sitting down in his rotating chair by the computers he spun around to look at me, his fingers pressed together to make a steeple with his hands. "I suppose you are in need of my services?" he questioned as I sat down in one of the folding chairs beside his desk.

"That was the plan," I said seriously, playing his little game.

"And what payment shall I receive?" he questioned.

"Same as always," I answered before bringing the plastic bag I'd got from the store into his line of sight. "Plus some extra incentive." He watched me curiously as I dug my hand into the bag and pulled out what I'd bought him, throwing it over.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up as the teenager I knew came flying back. "Cool! Doritos!" he cried, ripping the bag of nacho chips open and stuffing his face like a hungry chipmunk.

Grinning, I place the bottle of Pepsi on the table and he stared at in longingly. "Man," he said through a mouthful of nachos. "I'm yours."

"I'm not going to point out how wrong that sounds," I said with a chuckle. "You're not exactly the person I want saying that to me."

He rolled his eyes, opening the bottle and taking a long drink before sighing in contentment. "So," he said, licking his fingers. "What's up?"

"I got a new assignment," I answered, leaning back in my chair. "Another cheating husband."

"Boring," Seth groaned while shaking the computer's mouse to make the screen come alive. On his desktop was a large picture of a scantily clad woman. Poor kid. Never had a girlfriend and he was eighteen at the moment. It wasn't right for me to shove my conquests in his face…but he always asked me about them.

"Apparently the wife doesn't think her husband wants to cheat on her," I said with a small chuckle.

Seth snorted while chewing another chip. "Not likely," he answered.

"The husband's name is Michael Newton of --"

"Cityspace Software," Seth answered for me. "I got loads of his shit." He then proceeded to show me all the programs he had that Cityspace had created. A lot of it was complete shit that I myself would never use but Seth seemed to adore the company's programs. "He's a genius."

"He's a cheating genius," I corrected. "I don't believe for one second that he's innocent in all of this. He's a man with a hell of a lot of money, power and fame. It wouldn't be difficult for him to find himself a willing mistress. Apparently his personal assistant was one of the willing."

"So you want me to look up the PA?" Seth asked, pulling up a program.

"Yeah. Everything you can get on her. Her name's Isabella Swan."

His fingers flew over the keys as he typed in her name and clicked the search button. The teen's program could get into any database and pull up info on any person. He was fucking incredible with this computer stuff and it was why I relied on him rather than the police. The kid could make millions in the future with talents like his.

Suddenly the basement door swung open. "Seth!" Mrs. Clearwater shouted and her son flinched. "Have you taken out the garbage yet?"

Spinning around in his chair he shouted back, "Not yet, Mom! I'm kinda busy!"

"Oh!" she cried. "Are you showing Edward some of your nudy magazines?"

I snorted, covering my mouth to stop from laughing out loud. Seth's face was bright red and his jaw was hanging open. "MA!" he shouted in embaressment.

"Well have fun!" she giggled before the door closed again.

There was an awkward silence before I burst out laughing. Seth muttered profanities under his breath and glared at me. "Laugh it up, asshole. Laugh it up. But just wait until I get a fucking supermodel girlfriend!"

After a moment I calmed down enough to respond. "I guess," I chuckled, wiping my eyes.

"Hell yeah," he answered, turning back to his computer.

"Got her," he said after a few minutes. He wiped his hands on his torn jeans before scrolling down the page. I leaned forward to read.

"Let's see," Seth murmured. "Full name is Isabella Marie Swan. She was born in 1986. That makes her…what? Twenty-two?"

"Around there," I answered, staring at the profile in front of me. There was really nothing out of the ordinary. She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She moved to Seattle two years ago and got a job with Cityspace Software. The only odd part was that she was promoted quickly and became Newton's PA suspiciously fast. Either she was great at her job or there was something going on between them.

"Print it off for me, will you?" I finally said. He did so and I tucked them away in my pocket. "All right. Now I need a new identity. Can you make it happen?"

"Can I make it happen," he snorted before laughing dramatically. "I am the master, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," I chuckled.

Pulling up another program revealing different identification cards that were blank he turned to look at me. "Name?"

Thinking I finally came up with one I hadn't used before. "Ted Cullen."

He stared at me. "Ted…Cullen?" he asked with raised brows. "Are you trying to scare off the women?"

Grinning, I nodded. "That's the plan. I'm going undercover as a computer enthusiast."

His face dropped in astonishment. "You mean to tell me that you, Edward Masen, are going undercover as a NERD?"

I shrugged. "It's a change."

"A change?" he cried, rubbing his forehead. "Dude, you're fucking sex appeal in one body and you're just gonna…throw that all away?" Again I shrugged and his jaw dropped. "Do you know how many guys would give their right hand to be you just for one day? Scratch that! Their dick. They would give their dick to be you for a day. Do you understand the severity of that statement?"

"No biggie," I answered calmly.

"Unbelievable," he muttered before swinging around to type furiously on the keyboard.

"It's my job, Seth," I said. "I'm dedicated. It is and always will be the most important thing in my life. Nothing is ever going to change that."

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**Author's Note**

I know, I know. Edward is a complete asshole but it's his character…for a while anyway. Keep in mind that this hasn't been edited yet! Remember I said that Mamun was my favourite character in _SEALs_? Well now Seth is my favourite in this one. Why? Because he's a cute geek! Cityspace is not a real company, it's just made up, and I've never worked for a software company so bear with me if I get facts wrong. As I said in my Author's Note in _SEALs, _the maturity level for this one is going up again. Still no lemons (because I have yet to have experience one) but maybe a few limes? I'm on the Twilighted fourms and there will be a topic for this story so if anyone wants to talk on there, that's where I'll be. Usually lots of people ignore me on that site because my stories aren't NC-17. It's why I perfer , cause you guys are awesome and love me unconditionally. And I love you, too! So…review for me, okay?

**AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR THE SHORT STORY CONTEST I ENTERED!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

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The sound of that new alarm clock on the bedside table had me moaning in protest. It was obnoxiously loud in my ear and my head was ringing with exhaustion as I pushed myself into a sitting position. Slamming my fist on the clock, I sighed when the sound finally ceased and a beautiful silence followed. Collapsing back on to my pillow, I couldn't help but close my eyes and begin to nod off again. Just one more minute...

The ringing started up again, sounding something like the alarm of a fire truck, which made me finally rouse myself enough to actually swing my legs off the bed. The feel of the new carpet under my feet was nice but I longed to stay in the bed. Just to shut my eyes and wander off into the deepest crevices in my head before waking at a shockingly late time where I would feel refreshed and ready to face whatever the nightlife offered me. I was made to prowl in the evening rather than rise with the sun. I was a night kind of guy. There was never a day where I was happy to get myself up at six in the morning.

Yawning, I raised my arms over my head for a stretch before finally getting to my feet and practically stumbling across the room. I couldn't call this apartment home or anything in it mine because this all came with the job. It was mine to use until the mystery was solved and then I moved on to the next case.

This was a field where you couldn't get attached to anything or anyone. Seth was an exception since he was practically my partner but even my parents were exempt from some parts of my life. I rarely spoke to or saw my family nowadays because of how busy I was. Whenever I called my mother she was desperate for me to visit. She wanted to be a part of my life but there was no way I could let her into my life now. What would she think of all the lies I've told and all the people I've deceived?  
Shaking my head, I cleared those thoughts and headed for the bathroom for the morning routine. It had to change a little since today was my first day as a nerd. I couldn't help but grin at the thought as I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to flatten my hair with no avail. My eyes were slightly red from lack of sleep since I had stayed a few more hours at Seth's, playing video games and talking, before heading to the shopping centre for my new identity's supplies.

On the marble counter in front of me were a few products I'd picked up to really disguise myself. Extra strength hair gel to keep my fly away hair tamed, black rimmed glasses, a pretty weird patterned tie along with an ugly, mustard shirt and dark trousers. The whole look overall screamed nerd and was sure to keep the ladies at bay. Even though that sounded fucking stupid I knew that I had to focus on my job for this one. The girls would come later, I thought with a chuckle as I smirked at my reflection.

I brushed my teeth before coming back to the supplies I had laid out the night before. Taking the gel, I squeezed a large amount on my hand before running it through my hair and completely flattening it against my head. I already looked like a nerd or one of those kids back in the day where their mother dressed them for school and did the exact same thing I was doing now.

The thought of mother's made me think of mine and the many times she tried to tame my hair when I was young. It was always a lost cause but she still tried everyday. Sighing, I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to keep the memories of my family out of my head. I needed to concentrate and get this case done and over with. Maybe then I could call her and just listen to her normal life. Would that phone call satisfy my need to be with people I could really trust? Probably not.

Growling to myself, I finished with the gel and washed my hands. At the moment my hair was completely flat, not even one piece out of place. I mentally applauded myself for a job well done before beginning to dress myself in my "work clothes" (as I liked to call them). Tucking the ugly coloured shirt into my pants, I made sure my patterned tie was straight and then finally looked in the mirror. Hmm…the whole disguise was missing something. Looking down I noticed what I had forgotten to put on. The black rimmed glasses. Grinning like an idiot, I slipped them on to my face and then looked up at my reflection again.

I was completely different. I was no longer Edward Masen, sex symbol. I was Ted Cullen, extreme computer nerd. But looking at myself I couldn't help but feel refreshed. This was so foreign to me. It was exciting and a new challenge to make people like this character even though he looked like a total geek. It was basically proving the point about not judging a book by its cover.

After checking myself out for another minute I left the bathroom to go to the new high tech kitchen. Mrs. Newton certainly went to great extremes to make me comfortable (or anyone who was going to stay here in the future). The whole place had to have been renovated recently because everything looked polished and untouched. I guess money talked when it came to changing everything in an apartment.

I walked across the marble kitchen floors to start the coffee machine on the granite countertop. The whirring started right away and I watched closely as the liquid dripped into the container under the nozzle. It only took a moment for it to fill up with the steaming coffee giving me the ability to grab the container and pour the liquid into my thermos. I'd take this along with me rather than wait in a long line at a coffee shop. Besides, if I got there early I might make a good impression.

While slipping on my shoes and coat, I grabbed my messenger bag, which contained my most important things, especially my laptop. Everything I needed to know about this case was on it (password protected of course). There was no way I was leaving this behind when I might be meeting my target today.

I'd neither seen nor heard of Isabella as of yet but I knew I would bump into her at some point. I didn't know what she looked like but I was sure I would be able to pick her out in a crowd. I had that kind of intuition. Not that I was bragging…

I was surprised to learn that the building actually had a doorman. The place wasn't exactly like the Newton's building but at least it had some security even if the doorman looked like a seventeen-year-old kid. He didn't even look up as I came out of the elevator. His eyes were trained on the cell phone in his hands as he quickly texted his friends over and over again. I couldn't even see his eyes because of the stupid haircut he had. His black bangs were far too long and covering half face but apparently that was the style.

"Morning," I called, wondering if he even noticed my different appearance.

"Yeah, sure," he said, not even looking up as he continued to text.

Rolling my eyes, I decided to ignore the kid and focus on my interview. That was far more important anyway.

I was able to walk to the Cityspace office building since it was so close. The location of my new home was very convenient for most things including restaurants and shops. I got to wondering how this Isabella could afford to live in such an exclusive area. Unless she had some kind of huge inheritance from her family or something. How she got that apartment was very suspicious. A present from Newton for keeping him entertained? Keeping her close so they can rendezvous easily at her place for a quickie?

I snorted at the thought before realizing I had arrived at the office building. It was a tall skyscraper with a hell of a lot of windows. The building itself wasn't completely owned by Newton but he was slowly taking it all over and shoving out all the other companies who were housed there now. It wouldn't be long until he could call it his own.

I jogged up the last few steps outside the building, dodging a few people who were trying to get to their own destinations, before slipping inside. The lobby was huge and crammed with people. They were running every which way, practically yelling commands at each other and cell phones as I meandered around them. If it was this busy at seven in the morning then I couldn't imagine what it would be like in the afternoon. Nobody took any notice of me as I walked towards the elevators. On the marble wall beside the mirrored elevator doors was a board that listed what each floor was dedicated to. I checked to make sure that the lower floor was where the mailroom was before joining the throng of people on the crowded elevator. We were like sardines in a can but everyone around me didn't seem to mind being squished up against a stranger. They all looked very serious and there was an awkward silence as the elevator went down. As soon as it stopped and the doors slid open, I pushed my way out and breathed a sigh of relief when I was free. That was not something I enjoyed.

Following the other workers I found myself in a huge room that had to be the size of a football field. On every wall was floor to ceiling shelves with stacks of mail in every box. People were working on tables, sorting envelopes and throwing them into carts that would be taken up to the offices above. There were packages being tossed here and there and people running past me with carts full of mail. I felt slightly confused in all the madness but after a moment of concentrating I was able to realize just what everyone was doing. I would be able to get used to this.

Hiking my bag up on my shoulder, I tried to figure out where I was supposed to be for this interview. There was a hallway to my left so I decided to try down there first to find the head of the mailroom.

The corridor seemed to be filled with meeting rooms of some sort, large windows allowing people to peek inside. A few were empty with lights turned off but the last room was open and bright. There were a group of men gathered around a table, arguing about something. Watching these men I recognized one of them right away. Michael Newton was red in the face as he pointed an accusing finger at one of the other men. They all looked angry at him and I wondered what it was all about.

"Look, _pal_," Newton spat. "I haven't got time for your stupid meetings about pay rises. I have a company to run, if you haven't noticed! So you and your little union can whine all you want but in the end you're still working for me! So shut up and do what I pay you to do."

Suddenly his head turned to see me standing there. "What do you want?" he snapped, making everyone in the room turn to look at me.

_I want to kick your ass, dickwad. _"I'm…uh…here for an interview?" I said quietly. I continued to tell myself to keep in character inside my head so I wouldn't lash out and break his fucking nose.

He let out a heavy breath, fixing his blonde hair back into place and giving one last scathing look at his workers. "You heard me," he said before walking towards me and grinning widely while holding out his hand. "Michael Newton of Cityspace Software."

I took his hand and shook. His grip was strong as if he was trying to intimidate me. Was he serious? The guy was five eight for God's sake! He was like an elf compared to me. It was difficult not to laugh, especially when he had to look up to keep eye contact with me. Yeah. He was _really_ scary!

"Erm, Ted Cullen, sir," I stuttered.

"Good to meet you, Ted," he said, his bright, white teeth almost blinding me.

"And to you, sir." _Asshole._

"Well I'd stay and chat but I do have a company to run," he chuckled. He nodded to me and glared at the other men before turning on his heel and walking back to the elevators.

"Hey!"

Startled, I turned to see the bigger of the men staring at me. He had to be the head of the mailroom because he was the one Newton was arguing with the most. The man pulled out a chair from the table. "Sit down, Cullen."

Slowly, I stepped into the room and sat down in the chair facing the man. The other workers, looking defeated, took their leave after he waved them out. So now I was alone with this seriously muscled man. He stared me down and I suddenly became uncomfortable under his serious gaze. Now this man could kick my ass if he wanted to. He leaned against the table and crossed his arms, just watching me squirm. Should I say something? I was suddenly at a loss for words.

Just as I was about to say something stupid, he let out a loud laugh. "Sorry," he snickered. "I made you uncomfortable, didn't I?"

"Uh…" was all I could come up with. Come on! Where were the suave come backs I always had?

"It's all good!" he went on, slamming his hand on to my shoulder and making me fall forward slightly. The man obviously didn't know his own strength. "Names Emmett McCarty, head of the mailroom at Shityass Software – Oh sorry! I meant to say Cityspace Software." He let out a loud laugh again. I couldn't help but chuckle with him, rubbing my shoulder to get rid of the pain at the same time. "And you're Teddy Cullen, am I right?"

"Well actually it's Ted -" I started but he interrupted me.

"I know, I know!" he said with a grin. "But I got nicknames for all the guys around here. Teddy's not so bad, huh?"

I wanted to say 'no, it is bad' but then that would be out of character so I just smiled and nodded. Emmett rubbed his chin thoughtfully before grinning at me again. "No need to go through the whole interview process, kid," he stated. "You got what it takes to run mail up and down elevators, don't yah?"

"Er, sure," I said, nodding enthusiastically. I was getting out of doing a stupid interview and that was a good thing.

"Good job, Teddy!" he laughed, getting to his feet and holding out his hand on me. "Welcome aboard!"

This was actually really great for me. I didn't have to answer any questions at all. I was basically getting off easy. If I thought about it, I may have been accepted only because Emmett was trying to get back at Newton but then the guy may have actually liked me. That was a major plus.

I shook his hand. "Thank you, sir."

"Nah!" he said. "Call me Emmett, Teddy." He patted me more lightly on the back as I got to my feet again. "So you can start tomorrow at seven sharp?"

"You bet!" I replied cheerfully.

"All right! But first, I'll show you around the building just to get your bearings."

Emmett took me from the bottom floor all the way to the top in just under two hours. He stopped to talk to everyone we passed and they all seemed to know him quite well. I was introduced to probably everyone in the damn building as 'Teddy' but that may be an advantage to me. They'd feel comfortable around me and may even spill a few things about their boss that they see as gossip.

We got to what was supposed to be the most important floor because it housed Newton's personal office. On the elevator I got a little excited about getting to that floor. I'd finally get to have a peek at the elusive Isabella Swan. That meant my investigation could finally begin. But when the elevator doors opened, the front desk was empty.

"Aw damn," Emmett groaned. "Can't introduce you to Bella, Teddy!" He leaned over her desk as if he were checking to see if she was hiding under it. "Huh. We must have just missed her. Too bad, though. She'd have liked you."

Frowning, he left her desk and showed me the rest of the floor. We came back a few minutes later but her desk was still empty. Suspicious?

"So Emmett," I started as we got into the elevator. "How does the boss treat his personal assistant?"

As soon as I asked the question, Emmett frowned and actually looked quite angry. "How does he treat Bella?" he asked (I'd have to take down that everyone called her Bella instead of her full name). "He sniffs around her like a fucking dog. He's always ready to hump her leg or something. I'm surprised she hasn't filed for sexual harassment."

"It's that bad?" I asked. No sexual harassment suit? Suspicious.

"Hell yeah!" he crowed. "I'm always ready to punch his face in whenever he's around her. Bella doesn't deserve this shit, okay? She's sweet and kind to everyone she meets. You'd like her. I guarantee it."

"Do you like her?" I asked, raising my brows.

He chuckled. "Not in that way," he said. "I got my sexy, little Rosie at home. Bella's like my little sister. If anyone ever hurt her, then I'd kick their teeth in."

Well wasn't that an uplifting thought? I'd better call the dentist and make sure he has some teeth on stand by for me.

* * *

Fucking alarm clock! Grabbing it from the bedside table, I tossed it across the room and heard the satisfying crunch when it smashed against the wall. Good. Now I could finally get some sleep…

"Stop that racket up there!" came a loud voice from downstairs followed by a tapping on the floor.

"Fucking neighbours," I groaned while pulling a pillow over my head to keep out all the noises around me. I was frustrated; I'd admit that. I hadn't caught one glimpse of Bella Swan yesterday and that was not good. I needed to know exactly what she looked like and how she spent her day if this case was ever going to be closed.  
I'd spent time talking with Emmett yesterday in hopes that Bella would magically show up but of course the little minx was incognito. She was probably off humping Newton in some supply closet or something.

Bringing Bella up in the conversation Emmett and I had was impossible. He really was a chatterbox. There was no way I could question him about Bella and Newton while he blabbered on about his wife Rosalie. Not that I wasn't interested. He didn't only give away his whole life story but he also spoke about tons of gossip around the office. It really was like a soap opera. There were big rumours like someone carrying someone else's baby and little rumours like someone stealing all the pens in the office. My personal favourite (and Emmett's) was Newton actually being gay but he wrote that off saying that Mike was too busy chasing female tail to be attracted to men. I couldn't help but hold on to the hope that he really was gay. Wouldn't that be something to let his wife in on?

I snorted with laughter into the pillow before pushing myself out of bed. Running a hand through my bed head, I stalked to the bathroom to tame it again. I wouldn't lie; I hated the hair gel. It took me over twenty minutes to get it out of my hair in the shower last night. Now I'd have to do it all over again. But I couldn't stop now. This was my character and I had to stick to it. "It was your bright idea, moron," I told my reflection.

After dressing in my 'costume' I made myself some coffee, grabbed my bag and left the apartment. The texting kid was in the exact same place as yesterday, his thumbs going nuts over the keypad as I walked past. "You're doing a good job, huh?" I joked, pushing the door open.

"Yeah, sure," he replied without looking up. Rolling my eyes, I ignored him and stepped out into the Seattle morning.

It was going to be a good day I could feel it. The weather was warm and cheerful and I just knew that this would be the day that I would finally meet Bella Swan. I was going to see what she looked like and my job could finally start. Breathing in the warm morning air, I started my walk to the office along with all the other workers. Instead of just watching them from a far, I was one of these people who were walking to their job. I always remembered watching the herds of workers in the morning but I never was apart of them. If my life had changed course I probably would have been one of them.

When I finally reached the building I decided to take the stairs instead of the busy elevators. It was just as crowded as the day before and I didn't really feel the need to become a sardine again. The staircase was empty and I reveled in the silence as I jogged down the last few steps to the lower floor. Checking my watch, I realized I was actually a few minutes early. Emmett would like that.

The mailroom was just as busy as it was yesterday and people were tossing things back and forth again. I was careful not to get smacked in the face with one of the packages flying through the air as I searched for Emmett. He was standing and talking to one of the employees as I neared him. He laughed loudly as his co-worker chuckled with him. Emmett's laugh was kind of contagious and I found myself laughing more at his laugh than the actual joke or comment. He finally turned, noticing me, before patting the other man on the back and walking over to me.

"Teddy!" he cried out. "Good to see yah! Ready for your first day?"

I nodded and he grinned at me before leading me to a room where the mailroom employee's kept their personal belongings. After packing my bag and coat into a small locker, I was ready for my first day. Emmett recruited one of the other men named Ben to help me out. I would probably get lost so it was good to have someone with me. Ben was a nice guy but a little shy at the beginning. We'd get along just fine.

Ben picked a cart that was already full of mail and a check board before we set off for the elevators. I pushed the cart as Ben mumbled about what floors we had to go to. My heart leapt when he mentioned the floor that Bella was supposedly on. This was it. I was fucking going to find her today.

We had to visit a few other floors before we got to the most important stop. Apparently the designers of the Cityspace programs were on the same floor as Newton's office and most of the mail was either going to them or to the boss himself.

The elevator doors opened and I couldn't help but swear under my breath. Bella's desk was empty again. Ben ignored the empty area and passed by her desk to go further into the office. I followed him grudgingly. Where the fuck was she? The bitch was really starting to piss me off.

As we got into the cubicle area, Ben started walking faster and weaving through different paths as if he were excited. I finally realized why he was acting that way.

He stopped beside one of the cubicles and leaned inside. The woman sitting at her desk turned and grinned up at him. "Hi Ben," she said.

He nervously smiled back. "Hi Angela," he stuttered before digging into the cart to bring out small a box. "Er, I made sure to order you those pens you really liked." He held the box out to her, his hand shaking as she took.

"Really?" she asked as she opened the box and held it close to her chest. "Oh thanks, Ben! That's so nice of you!"

He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. God, I felt sick. This guy was so whipped I was surprised he didn't show physical marks. I yanked the cart backwards and left them to get through an embarrassing conversation. There was no way I was staying to listen to that romantic shit.

I made a few more deliveries, people barely looking at me as they tapped insistently at their keyboards. This was obviously the serious floor. Nobody was talking with one another. They were all absorbed in their work. I can see why Emmett liked the other floors more but then I couldn't blame these workers. They were right beside the boss's office and that would make _me_ get down to business. Too bad their boss was a complete dick.

Suddenly, I heard Emmett's voice coming from the elevators. Curious, I pushed the cart towards the sound. "Oh come on, Bella!" he said making me stop at the corner. "You'd like him!"

"Look, Emmett," a soft, female voice replied. "You've tried to set me up with every man in this office. I can't like everyone that you do."

Bella Swan was just around the corner. I would finally get my first look at my target and see if she really was as snake like as Mrs. Newton painted her to be. But I had to formulate a plan that would make sure that she would remember me and feel comfortable. I needed something very shy like fumbling with something since the girls usually felt sorry for a guy like that. I stood to think for a moment as Emmett continued talking to her.

"Please?" he whined.

"No," she said.

"Please?"

"No," she laughed.

"At least meet him, Bells," he cried. "You may actually like him!"

"I'm sure I would," she answered sarcastically.

Finally, I came up with a plan. I waited until I could hear her getting up and coming around the corner, before knocking the cart over on purpose. It was just as loud as I thought it would be and a few of the workers actually turned to look at me curiously. Playing my part, I nervously got down on my knees and began to pick up the mail.

"Oh God!" Bella cried and I could hear her getting down on the floor. "Are you all right?"

Looking up, I was about to answer when I stopped. I just…stared. Jesus Fucking Christ.

On her knees was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She had the sexy librarian look down pat. Her long brown hair was tied back into a conservative ponytail and she even had glasses hanging off her nose. The white blouse she was wearing created an ample view of her cleavage (although she didn't seem to notice) and the black skirt shaped her ass quite nicely. As she picked the mail up off the floor I could even catch glimpses of her gorgeous legs if she moved the right way. Mother fucker. For once in my life, my brain was agreeing with my body when it screamed: _Take her! Take her!  
_  
"Ugh, I hate these carts," she babbled on, stuffing the mail back in place before looking up at me. She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and smiled kindly at me as I continued to stare. Her eyes were a deep chocolate brown and I actually found myself agreeing that the eyes were the window to the soul. She was innocent. She couldn't possibly be the snake that Mrs. Newton thought she was. But with the soft blush on her cheeks and those nervous laughs she could fool even the greatest detective.

"Teddy!" Emmett's loud voice made me snap back to reality. I gathered the rest of the mail and pulled the cart up so that I could put the envelopes back in order. Emmett came over to us, slamming his hand on my back again. "See Bells? I told you you'd like him!"

Bella just smiled while returning the last of the mail to the cart. She looked up and caught my eye again before looking back at Emmett.

"Bella this is Teddy -" Emmett started but I interrupted him by holding out my hand for her to shake.

"Er, Ted Cullen," I said quickly.

She laughed and shook my hand. "I was kind of wondering why Emmett was trying introduce me to someone named Teddy." Bella rolled her eyes at her friend. "You can't just call someone by their actual name?"

Emmett's lower lip jutted out. "But that's no fun Bells!"

"You're such a child," she said, punching him playfully on the shoulder. "I don't know how Rose puts up with you."

He grinned, pushing his chest out. "That's because I'm amazing in the -"

"Okay!" she cried, covering her ears. "I don't want to hear this." She turned and continued walking down the hallway, only turning once to smile and wave at me. "It was nice meeting you, Ted."

I smiled back at her as she stepped into one of the offices and disappeared. Damn, that woman had one nice ass.

Emmett chuckled beside me, elbowing me in the side. "Told you you'd like her," he murmured before leaving me alone with the cart.

Well, I thought as I turned and pushed the cart back to the elevators. At least I had something nice to look at while doing this case. Something _very_ nice to look at, I thought with a smirk.

**Author's Note**

Sorry for taking so long with this one. I've been doing stuff…in school. But hey! It's March Break! I love having time off and sleeping in until three in the afternoon! Just saw 'Remember Me'. Was it depressing enough for you too? I swear I was _this _close to tears. Other than watching movies I've also been working on my real story. You know, the one I want to publish someday? Getting all the facts sorted out and such takes some time but I'm taking it all very seriously. I'm kind of hoping it will be popular so I can bring out more books for a series. You'd buy it…right? Speaking of book's, has anyone ever read a book called _Shiver_? I really want to read it but I'm trying to wait until it comes out in paperback. I hate hardcover and their high prices! Oh and I hope you are all still keeping you fingers crossed for that short story contest I entered. Judging starts at the end of March! I'm excited! And yeah…sorry about the limited amount of Bella in this chapter. She'll be back though. And sorry about any mistakes that are in this chapter about offices or mailrooms. Again, I've never worked in one.


	3. Chapter 3

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

* * *

The months began to pass quickly as I strengthened my relationship with Bella Swan. She began to trust and feel comfortable around me, which was a major plus. She told me almost everything she did with her day and I got used to her stopping me in the halls at work to talk to me or ask my opinion on something. So far I was doing my job very well and I was sure that soon I'd be able to find evidence against her and Newton. The case would be closed and I'd be free to go on to my old life again. But I had to admit that I'd miss staring at her amazing…assets.

In order to get her to trust me I tried my hand at romanticizing in a way that only a shy geek would. Normally I would seduce a woman by just smiling at her but this was more difficult. I had to be sly and wiggle my way into her heart as that awkward nerd who had a crush on her. She fell for it of course. What can I say? I have skills.

It was Valentines Day and I was on my way to work when I passed a street vendor selling flowers for the poor bastards that had to suck up to their woman to get _something_. I never needed anything to get _something_. The ladies just gave it to me for free. I just happened to be blessed with looks that made a woman fall wherever and whenever I told her to fall. But I realized that I didn't have my looks today so flowers would be my best bet.

I couldn't help but grin as I hid the single rose behind my back and went up to meet Bella at her desk. She was sitting there, busy clicking on her computer as she bit her lip in concentration. I clenched my fist, my knuckles cracking, as I strained to keep my hands at my sides and not launch myself across the desk to grab her. The woman was just too damn sexy for her own good. She looked up at me in surprise as I played my character. Ted was nervous at the moment because he had a crush on the receptionist. It was the regular plot for those cheesy romance novels that women seemed to love. Swallowing heavily I stuttered out my hello to her.

"Hi, Ted," she said with a kind smile. "What are you doing up here so early?"

"Well I…" I swallowed again. "I just thought I'd give you this." I thrust the rose out towards her, making my hand shake on purpose. "Happy Valentines Day, Bella."

She seemed shocked at first before a huge smile over took her face. Gently, she took the flower from me and laughed. "This is…this is for me?" she questioned and I nodded quickly.

She got up and I flinched as she stepped around her desk and threw her arms around my waist. This wasn't what I expected her to do and fuck me if it didn't feel amazing. I felt her whole body pressed against mine as she hugged me tightly, the top of her head just reaching my chin. Hesitantly I let my arms surround her as I gently hugged her back.

I'd never exactly been embraced like this before. Most women grabbed on to me for sexual purposes but Bella embraced me as if she really cared. Did the flower really mean that much to her?

"Thank you," she murmured as she stepped back. "Nobody's ever done something like this for me before."

I watched her pet the rose petals as surprise ran through me. Nobody had ever done that for her? I would have thought Newton would have given her something for what she did…or was she that easy? As Bella looked up at me and grinned I couldn't help but smile…genuinely. Just staring into Bella's brown eyes made me see innocence. There was no way she could be Newton's mistress. She was too kind; too good…she was too innocent.

But I couldn't judge her so quickly. She could be a wolf in sheep's clothing, as the saying goes. Who knew what she was really like under that innocent act. I'd had my fair share of snakes and cougars on the prowl, especially with my job. Unfaithful housewife? Check. Conniving little witch of a girlfriend? Check. Innocent women were hard to come by in my business. They all seemed to have a hidden agenda and that was the reason why I couldn't trust Bella no matter how she made me…feel.

"You're welcome," I murmured, our eyes locked as the blush filled her cheeks.

Someone cleared their throat loudly, breaking our contact. Bella flinched, her fingers gripping the rose tightly as she looked over my shoulder. I almost let out a snarl as I turned to see Newton standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Bella," he said through gritted teeth. "I thought I asked you for those clients' phone numbers?"

"Oh," she mumbled, ducking her head. "Sorry. I'll go get those." She took one more glance at me before scurrying around the corner and out of sight.

I was ready to throttle him for ordering her around like that but my brain stopped my body from moving in to get a grip around his neck. Instead we just glared at one another and it somehow reminded me of a National Geographic show. I could just picture two male lions snarling and roaring at one another, both desperate for the power.

"_The male lion is a very dominant and protective animal. For mating privileges, the stronger and more intelligent of the males will triumph over the weaker. Here we have two lions, both eager to mate with the prized female."_

I couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Newton's gaze faltered for a moment before he finally gave in. "Get back to work, Cullen," he snapped. I could almost see what he was thinking as he narrowed his eyes once more before turning away and leaving me alone: _Game on._ I grinned and rolled my eyes.

"_And as we predicted, the stronger male wins as the weaker retreats to the safety of his own den. For this male, the female is his for the taking." _And oh boy would I like to take up that offer.

Other than the Valentines Day stunt, I had found another way into Bella's heart without losing my character. It was about a month after that day when I was late getting up to the executive floor. I had that itching to see Bella again. To talk to her. It was weird but my detective brain listed it as merely the need to solve the case and discover if she really was what she claimed. I checked my watch as the numbers on the elevator went up. It was very close to the lunch break, which meant people would be pissed to see me there with mail while they were eating. It was a little secret Emmett had let me in on. But it wasn't my fault that the mail was overloaded today and I was handing out more than a hundred letters and packages just in the morning. I never believed that it could be so tiring.

The ding of the elevator made my heart leap and the opening doors made me twitch in anticipation. I pushed my cart out; ready to give Bella that nervous smile when I turned to see…that she wasn't there. Feeling deflated, I looked around to see if she was hiding somewhere but it was empty. Where was she?

Instead of waiting around I went to do the rest of my rounds, spending a bit more time than I should have on the floor. It was odd because the workers weren't eating lunch when it was obviously that time of the day. Shouldn't they be in the break room chowing down on some good old, artery blocking fast food? But there they were, typing away in their cubicles and ignoring as much as possible. All except for Angela who smiled and thanked me when I handed her a package. She even asked me (shyly of course) how Ben was. I was nice enough to answer her even though I felt sick from all the blushing and stuttering she was doing when we talked about Ben. It was obvious they both had a high school crush on one another. Why they didn't just go out, fuck and get it over with was beyond me. Course I wasn't into the whole sentimental shit.

I knew I was being mean by thinking those things but I couldn't help it. I'd been around treacherous women my whole career so it wasn't easy for me to trust one. Besides, it was all for the job. It wasn't like I was going to see Angela or Bella again.

Speaking of Bella, I had finally finished and was on my way to her desk. But as I turned the corner it was still empty. Where the hell was she? Then my detective brain gave me an answer. Her apartment is close to here because…? I left the cart and walked casually towards Newton's office. His door was closed but I could hear him screaming at some executive inside as the man tried to keep the peace. "I don't care what the fuck you do but I want that new program on the shelves by Christmas!" he yelled. The other man muttered something about an insufficient number of hardrives and Newton started up another rant that I wasn't in the mood to hear.

Coming back to Bella's empty desk I found myself leaning over it to look at what she had. My rose had died a while ago but she still had the water glass that she used to keep it in on her desk. Her computer was off and probably password protected so I skipped that and searched the pictures in the frames instead. Lots were just of friends and family but only one had Bella in it. She was sitting between two girls, all of them grinning at the camera with their arms around one another. The most important thing that the male in me picked up was that they were all in swimsuits and looked like they had just got out of the water. Bella's suit was far more conservative compared to her friends (the short black-haired girl had a polka dot bikini and the blonde had one in red). Yet she still looked hot, especially with her pale skin against the navy of the swimsuit. That was one moment when I wished I could just jump into the picture and be there. The bead of water caught dripping down Bella's neck in the picture made me want to li…

The sound of the elevator doors opening made me jump and flip around to face the intruder. Bella came stumbling out, out of breath and loaded with paper/plastic bags. She was even caring four cardboard drink holders with what looked like steaming coffee. They tipped dangerously and I instinctively ran forwards to catch them. She squeaked as my hand shot out and grabbed the falling drinks before sighing it relief. "Thank you!" she gasped.

"What is all of this?" I questioned, yanking the heavy bags from her as well as two of the drink cartons.

"You don't have to do that!" she cried as I took them off her. "It's really heavy!"

I just smirked and lifted them easily over to her desk as she bashfully followed me. They weren't heavy for me but they would be for her. I wondered how she found the will to carry it all. As soon as everything was safe from tipping over, I turned to smile at her. "You didn't answer my question."

She sighed, rubbing her face as she began to unpack the bags. "Lunch," she finally answered.

"No offense," I chuckled. "But do you normally eat this much?"

She laughed, the sound like music to my ears. "Oh no. It's for the office." She nodded towards the workers cubicles. Some of them must have smelt the food or heard the disruption because I could see their heads peeking over their walls.

"Is that in your job description?" I asked seriously, my voice low.

She paused; staring at the salad she'd just unpacked. "Something like that," she mumbled. I watched as she took some of the meals and went off to deliver them, her body slouched. She looked so tired and I couldn't help but feel for her. It wasn't fair that she had to do it all on her own…and that gave me a great idea.

The next day I finished my rounds fast and went to find Emmett before lunch. He was already eating in one of the meeting rooms; a newspaper in his lap as he munched on what looked like a home made sandwich. Apparently Rosalie was quite the housewife. He looked up when I entered and smiled. "Teddy!" he laughed and I fought the urge to chuckle and roll my eyes. The name I would never live down. "What can I do for you?"

"Well I was wondering if I could start lunch earlier today?"

He frowned. "What's up?" I had to hand it to him. He looked genuinely worried.

"I just thought Bella might need some help getting all those lunches for her co-workers," I answered with a shrug.

Emmett stared long and hard at me, his chewing stopped. "You want to help Bella?" he asked me slowly.

I scratched the back of my neck and shuffled my feet under his steady gaze. It almost felt like I was a bad student sent to the principal's office to be punished and I didn't like the feeling. I wasn't intimidated by anyone…except Emmett apparently. "Sure," I said, clearing my throat. "I mean, she looked tired the last time I saw her. I thought I could help her out?" Why did that sound like a question?

He stared at me for a few more moments before a large grin appeared on his face. He scared the shit out of me when he jumped out of his chair and grabbed me around the waist, lifting me off the ground in what seemed like a bear hug. It felt more like he was trying to crush me to death.

"Teddy!" he laughed loudly, putting me back on my feet so I could rub my sore ribs. "That's a great idea! You know you're not like the other guys. Giving up your lunch break to help another. Real great, Teddy! You're the kind of guy I'm looking for!"

Raising my eyebrow in confusion I opened my mouth to ask him what the hell he was babbling on about but instead Emmett pushed me out the room. "Get out of here, you knight in shining armor!" he laughed. "Go help out our damsel in distress." And then he slammed the door in my face. What the fuck just happened?

I asked myself that question over and over again as I took the elevator up to the executive floor. Why was Emmett so pleased about me helping Bella? I thought he was suspicious of me. The way he looked at me when I came into the meeting room made me believe he wanted me dead…but apparently not. Was I being used in some sort of sick joke or something? It just confused the hell out of me…and I hated that feeling.

The doors opened with a slight _ding, _allowing me to get off. As soon as I stepped off, Bella looked up from her desk and smiled. My answering grin was a reflex action…of course.

"Ted?" she asked with surprise as I leaned against her desk. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," I said with a dramatic sigh. "I thought you could use some help."

Bella blinked in surprise. "But…" she started. "But you have to work. What about Emmett?"

"I finished early," I said with a shrug. "And Emmett is suspiciously all for my helping you." I raised my eyebrows and she blushed, muttering something about matchmakers. Maybe I could use Emmett's pressuring to my advantage. "Will you let me help you?"

She bit her lip in thought before answering. "I guess," she murmured with a small smile.

I watched as she stood, fixing everything on her desk before putting her computer on stand by. She reached for her jacket hanging off her chair but I'd already raced behind her and snatched it up. I held the coat open like a true gentleman and she giggled gently, stepping into it and buttoning it up. I patted her shoulders lightly as she whispered her thanks. As she stepped away, heading for the elevators, I couldn't help but feel the loss of her so close to me. I wanted to take off her jacket only to put it back on so I could touch her again. Instead, I shook my head and jogged after her.

We left the building together, talking about completely random topics from the weather to television shows. I was actually amazed at how much Bella and I had in common. I actually found my real self coming through in our conversations and it scared the crap out of me every time I caught myself giving an opinion a normal nerd wouldn't have. I knew that I had to be Ted but Edward was slowly making an appearance. It was hard to fight the want for my real personality to come through. I found myself wanting her to like me, which was very dangerous territory. She was an assignment and that was it.

During the outing, we stopped at many nearby restaurants and fast food joints to pick up different meals. I was amazed at Bella's memory as she rattled off the toppings for someone's burger by heart. Even I couldn't remember everything she told the cashiers. She also seemed to know the employees by name. How long had she been doing this job? I couldn't help but feel anger for her. It was unfair in every way.

When we went into the small restaurant called La Bella Italia, I couldn't help but notice my companions' deep inhale and sigh of ecstasy. Was she a lover of Italian food? The guy behind the counter was quickly filling up a Styrofoam container filled to the brim with spaghetti as Bella stared (longingly?) at the lasagna in the display case. I felt that she was going to order it for herself but she paid for the spaghetti with a drink and moved out of the store. Where was her lunch?

I was desperate to ask her that question but she talked the whole time as we walked back to the building (mostly thanking me for helping her). I couldn't get a word in. Was she avoiding the inevitable question? Nonetheless, I felt better after helping her hand out the meals to the lazy bastards on the executive floor. All except for Angela who had brought her own lunch but thanked Bella profusely when she bought her a can of soda.

When I left to find my own food I noticed Bella sitting behind her desk with just a coffee. I desperately wanted to tell her she was coming out to lunch with me and there would be no refusing but I caught myself and stepped into the elevator instead. As the doors closed I knew there was one thing I needed to do…in order to get her to trust me of course. It was time to lay on the romance – nerd style.

So the next day I came up before lunch and helped her get the meals again. She was still surprised but seemed happy to talk with me. But this time, instead of going to get my own lunch after our outing, I went back to the Italian place and picked up some lasagna and some fancy red wine before retuning to the building. Stepping into one of the meeting rooms on the mail floor I found Emmett lounging in one of the chairs. He looked up when I came in, his eyes going to the bag and bottle in my hands.

"Is that for me, Teddy?" he cooed sarcastically. "You shouldn't have!"  
I rolled my eyes, setting everything down on the table. "No," I chuckled. "I just thought Bella would like some lunch for once."

Emmett sighed and shook his head. "She's not eating lunch?" He got to his feet and patted my back. "This'll be good for her. You just set this up and I'll go get her."

"I'm just worried about Newton," I admitted. I didn't want to get Bella fired. She worked too hard for this job…Err, I mean…he wouldn't fire his mistress, right?

"I got you covered," Emmett said with a wink. He headed for the door before stopping and smiling at me. "You're good for her, Ted. She likes you, trust me. Good luck, buddy."

I didn't know what I was more surprised about, Emmett calling me Ted or Bella's apparent feelings for me. Did she really like me or was that just Emmett getting me worked up because if she did like me then…that would help with my job. Right? That's why I was so excited. But I couldn't linger on either of the thoughts because I had a woman to romance.

She came down just as I finishing up. Bella walked through the door and stopped dead, her mouth hanging open. The feeling of being unsure wasn't even acted. I actually felt that way and the rubbing of my neck seemed like a reflex now. "I thought you'd be hungry," I stated.

"You…you did all this…for me?" she asked.

I shrugged like it was no big deal and that's when she ran over and hugged me tightly. I liked the feeling, just like last time. She was warm, soft and so small in my arms. I couldn't help but hug her back, my cheek resting on her head. My heart thumped unevenly in my chest and I got a very odd warm feeling. Fucking emotions. I felt like a damn woman and these feelings were more dangerous than any kind of weapon.

Our outings to collect the executives' meals and our own lunch became an everyday occurrence. I continually changed up our menu so we never got bored. One week it was Chinese and the next it was Mexican, there were just so many foods to choose from. But she always thought it was hilarious when I brought wine and poured it in the coffee mugs we found in the cupboards. Emmett, of course, was no where near our lunches and I continually thanked him for keeping an eye out for Newton who had no idea what Bella and I were doing. I would have thought he would question why she wasn't with him during their lunch break but I got my answer one day from the woman herself.

"I can't believe you would do this for me," she laughed one day as we dined on some Indian chicken. The spices were so hot that we both were glad I'd decided to buy milk for our drinks.

"Haven't you been out on dates?" I questioned with a smirk.

She blushed and laughed. "Well sure," she said. "But no one has ever gone this out of their way for me."

I frowned, wondering why Newton hadn't at least got her dinner of some kind. Was it really just a quickie? Looking at Bella across the table, I couldn't see her as a one night stand girl. She looked like she easily got attached to people. "Maybe," I started. "You've been choosing the wrong guys."

Her little smile faded and she looked back at her food. "I guess," she murmured.

After that conversation we stayed off the topic of relationships. Instead I got her to tell me everything about her without giving away too much about myself. I told her what building I lived in and she excitedly told me we were in the same building. I acted surprised, since I already knew that fact, but allowed her to tell me all about her apartment. Apparently it used to be owned by her grandmother…I'd have to have that checked out by Seth. She looked truthful but I couldn't help but feel that Newton bought it for her or at least owned it.

Soon I began walking home with her, saying good night as she got off the elevator and went to her apartment. We were slowly making progress during these few months and I could see that she was trusting me more and more. But I still hadn't learned anything about her personal relationship with Newton. Whenever he was brought up she'd change the subject, looking uncomfortable. Was she really his mistress or was there something else going on? I knew one of the ways to get an answer to my question. It was time to break into Bella's apartment.

* * *

**Author's Note**

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. EVERYTHING has been so hectic lately. I'm working on final projects for my classes so I'll be able to graduate high school! Don't you guys want me to go to college for jounalism where I will learn to become a better writer? Well you should. Here's how busy I am: I have a History test on WWI-WW2 next week. My Film Studies last project is due next week (which includes a report on James Cameron and Avatar complete with slideshow presentation). My History final project on Elizabeth I is due the week after that (which includes a 6-8 page essay and a slideshow presentation) as well as another essay on Nazi propaganda. My Prom (sweet!) is that same week and then I have two exams to complete during the two weeks after that. I'd say after the 23rd of June, there will be more chapters up. Then I can breathe a sigh of relief and RELAX! Sorry. I needed to rant.


	4. Chapter 4

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

* * *

"Damn, Teddy! You sound like shit!"

"Yeah," I sniffed into the phone, coughing slightly. "It's pretty bad."

Emmett's sigh was loud as I held the phone against my ear. "Don't come in today."

"But I don't want to miss work!" I protested feebly with another sniff.

"Well I don't want my workers getting sick because of you!" he chuckled. "But seriously, Ted. Get some rest. Chicken soup and all that crap. I need you back tomorrow!"

I paused as if I was thinking this over before sighing. "Okay," I finally said. "I'll stay home…but I'll be there early tomorrow!"

Emmett laughed and I could almost picture him shaking his head. "You got it, Teddy. See ya then."

"All right. Thanks Emmett. Bye." I hung up the phone and fell back against my bed. Breathing out a large breath, I rubbed my hands over my face and tried to get rid of the guilt burning in my mind. I was beginning to hate lying to Emmett. I considered him a friend now but I was treating him like he was one of my suspects. He deserved much better than that. He trusted me, for God's sake, and I was lying to his face every single day! How was that fair to a friend like Emmett?

I was beginning to hate my career choice. I was beginning to want a normal job without lies or secrets. I wanted real friends that you could go out to bars with and just laugh about our lives. There would be conversations about our annoying boss, the weather, the last football game and making bets as to what team would win next. We'd talk about our wives and I'd know that I had someone to go home to. She'd be waiting for me. I would always love the end of the day so I could walk through that door and wrap her in my arms. Then I'd spend the rest of the night just worshipping her mind, body and soul before waking up in the morning with her beside me. What a feeling it must be, to love someone so unconditionally that you would be willing to spend the rest of forever with them.

I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned in frustration. This was not the time to be rethinking career choices. I had a job to do.

I pulled myself to my feet and went to the window. It looked out at the street below and the apartment buildings across from mine. Not the best view but I would be able to see the people walking quickly below on the sidewalk. Leaning against the windowsill, I waited for a few minutes before I spotted her. Bella came out from our building, jogging on to the sidewalk and speed walking down the street towards the office. I watched her, my forehead pressed against the glass, until she was out of sight. Then I knew it was time to get to work.

My clothes were nothing like the spy movies. I wasn't wearing all black or even a hat. That would be more attention grabbing. Instead, I opted for the regular jeans and white t-shirt with a black hoodie. I needed a lot of pockets. Running my hands through my messy hair, I already knew it was a lost cause. The hair gel was getting old and I sure as hell wasn't using it on my supposed day off. I'd found an old backpack in my closet and began stuffing all of my equipment into it, knowing I'd probably need it all. On my way out of my bedroom I noticed Ted's glasses on the table. Shaking my head, I left them there and headed for Bella's apartment.  
The building's security wasn't exactly first class so there was no worry of being caught on camera. The only problem for me was nosy neighbors and there were plenty of them. I left the elevator at Bella's floor and walked casually towards her apartment like I owned the place. No suspicious activities here. Once I got to her door, I pulled out my handy bobby pins and went to work on the lock with my shoulders hunched in order to hide what I was really doing. To some curious neighbor I would look like I was just opening the door with a key.

The lock clicked finally and I opened the door, slipping inside and shutting it behind me. Hiking up my bag on my shoulder, I turned to survey Bella's apartment. It was actually nothing like mine. Well, the layout might have been the same but Bella's place looked like it hadn't been decorated since the seventies, which was probably true. The walls were painted an ugly mustard color and the floors were either old white tile or thick brown carpet, depended on which room you were in.  
The small entrance hall was open into the living room, with the large window looking at the same view as my apartment. To the left was the opening to the kitchen and to the right was a closet. Around the corner on the right must be where her bedroom was. I couldn't help but clear my throat at the thought.

I decided that I should just start checking for any kind of information useful to the case. Starting with the hall closet, I realized that Bella didn't exactly have a lot of outdoor clothes. She had three coats and four pairs of shoes. Very practical with all her choices as if she had thought about how she would use each of them before actually purchasing it. Weren't women usually clothes and shoes fanatics?  
Moving on, I headed into the kitchen and chuckled at the pristine area. Bella had once told me she was in love with cooking. I teased her by suggesting she cook for me sometime and she accepted it, saying she'd be happy to make me something. I really couldn't wait for that day.

Feeling curious, I opened the wheezing fridge and couldn't help but laugh at what was inside. Probably every food, spice, drink or sauce known to man was in Bella's fridge. She had things I couldn't even pronounce! But the funniest thing about it was that she had tons of stuff in re-sealable containers with stickers on the sides that read what was inside them. No wonder she was a PA. She obviously had the organization skills!

I searched the rest of the kitchen, drawers and cupboards, but there was nothing of importance in any of them. Bella must have one place to put everything important to her in. Hopefully she didn't have it in a safe. I wasn't ready to break into anything else today.

The living room was next and I found out a lot about Bella in that one room. In the far corner, next to the television, was a large bookcase that was overflowing with books. She literally had novels ready to fall out. Curious, I looked at the titles. She was definitely a classics girl. _Pride and Prejudice _and _Jane Eyre _were the two that stuck out to me but then I saw _A Town Like Alice _and I laughed. My mother used to rave about how amazing that book was. She wanted me to read it to find out how to treat a woman but I got out of it by claiming she'd already ruined the plot line by telling me everything about it. Apparently my mother and Bella had something in common because the book in my hand was completely destroyed as if it had been read a million times. She loved this book, it was obvious.

I moved on, browsing her small amount of DVD's and family pictures. Most were of other people, like her desk at work, but there were a few with her smiling back at me. One that stood out had Bella and an older woman that must have been her mother hugging her tightly. Bella looked uncomfortable in the death lock her mother had on her. I began to wonder what her relationship with her mother was really like. She never talked about her or her father except in passing comments.

Finding nothing incriminating in the rest of the living room, my eyes turned towards the open bedroom door. Why did I suddenly feel sweaty and nervous? I'd been in plenty of bedrooms in my life but never had I felt even the least bit anxious. I was always calm, cool and collected. Never did I worry. But the back of my neck was wet with sweat as I stepped into her bedroom.

It was very plain like the rest of the apartment with one window looking out at the building across the street, a dresser with a large mirror and more pictures sitting on top, an unmade bed with two night stands on either side and a very messy closet. To my right was the door to her bathroom where cosmetics had been strewn about the counter top. Bella must have been in a hurry because I was sure she probably cleaned her apartment before she left each morning. Late wake up call? I turned to one of her bedside tables to see an unplugged alarm clock on the floor. Bingo.

Taking a few moments to check her dresser (that did not make me a Peeping Tom) I found nothing of importance (i.e. skanky underwear that Mike would probably appreciate). Sitting on the side of her bed, I opened the first drawer of her left bedside table and dug through it. Everything in the drawer was usual like a hairbrush, some jewelry, a blank notebook and a few pens, but the thing that caught my attention was in the bottom drawer. Under another blank notebook was Bella's naughty treasure chest. Picking up one of the books I couldn't help but laugh. In my hands was one of many erotic novels hidden in Bella's bedside table.

"It's always the quiet ones," I murmured, reading the back of what seemed to be an erotic vampire book. She seemed to enjoy the bloodsuckers and military men. Grinning wickedly, I thought about role-playing with her. She'd enjoy it. After all, role-play was my forte. My whole job centered on it. And I wouldn't mind giving Bella a little nibble on the neck every now and then.

Laughing again, I closed the drawer and moved on to her closet. It was a disaster to say the least. Clothes were everywhere as if she had torn the place apart in search of the perfect outfit. Sticking my head inside, I looked around until I finally saw it. A small, black file folder accordion sat in the very back. Exactly what I had been looking for.

Grabbing it, I yanked it out on to the bed and opened it to look inside. Everything was nicely organized for me to sort through. I checked the bills, looking for any suspicious payments. Flipping through many bills I found nothing out of the ordinary. The woman seemed clean in every way. Growling in frustration, I stuffed everything back into the accordion and tossed it back into her closet. Where the hell was the evidence against her? She couldn't possibly be able to cover her tracks this well. Did that mean she was innocent or was she actually a master of disguise?

Shaking my head I dumped my backpack on her bed. Suddenly I stopped unzipping it and stared at myself in her mirror. Just looking at my real self I couldn't help but feel guilty for spying on her. It was apart of my investigation but the guilt seeped into me and I was suddenly rethinking my whole plan. This was Bella. I knew her…or did I? Was she really innocent or was she like the rest of the women I had investigated? God, I truly hoped Jessica was wrong about her. It would crush me to find out she really was messing around with Newton…but why should I care?

Pressing my lips together, I took my bag out into her living room instead. I wouldn't be a pervert and put a camera in her bedroom. I may have been acting like a Peeping Tom but I was still a gentleman at heart. Bella needed her privacy as much as I needed mine.

Instead I began to set up very small cameras in the main areas, namely the living room and the kitchen. Seth was an Ebay addict and continually surfed the website for new gadgets to buy. His room had become so crowded with the purchases he'd forgotten about that his mother made him sell it all in a garage sale. He asked me if I wanted anything and I made a grab for the tiny cameras and microphones. They worked well on my last assignment so I hoped they helped for this one too. All of the equipment was so small that I could easily hide them behind anything without them being seen. One behind the curtain rod and another up in a shadowy corner, she'd never notice them. The microphones were even more inconspicuous. They could be hidden anywhere like inside lampshades or behind picture frames. I put a few around, deciding to place one microphone in Bella's bedroom. I didn't have to see it but I could hear it. That wasn't _as _perverted as a camera.

Finally, I realized I could do nothing else. I'd checked and done everything I could. Now it was time for the waiting game. Leaving Bella's apartment I made sure I left no trace of my entrance, locking the door again and going back to my place. In the elevator I hoped to God everything worked right. There was no way I was breaking into Bella's apartment again.

I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as my door closed. Safe again, I kicked off my shoes and went to change into more comfortable clothes, namely sweatpants and an old t-shirt. I needed to be comfortable for my long wait. I'd barely been in Bella's apartment for an hour and a half before coming back. There was still a lot of time to waste before the workday was over.

As soon as I was comfortable, I cracked a beer, got out my laptop and crashed on the couch. Seth had taught me how to connect to the signal the cameras and microphones were giving out, allowing me to view and hear everything on my laptop. Clicking and fiddling around for a few moments I finally made four screens pop up. One camera was in the entrance hall (above the door), another in the kitchen and two in the living room, one facing her bedroom and the other facing the kitchen. If I wanted sound for a certain room I merely clicked a button and I got it. Damn, sometimes I loved that nerdy teenager. He just made my job a whole lot easier.

It was a few hours later when I finally got some movement on one of the cameras. I'd been talking with Seth on the phone about the new gadgets he had bought off (of course) Ebay, when the door to Bella's place opened. I sat forward, stopping Seth in the middle of his rant about fake portal guns or something.

"Damn, I got to go, kid," I said quickly. "The target just arrived."

He laughed. "Gotcha. I guess I'll talk to you later…oh and Ed?"

"Yeah?" I asked distractedly.

"If you can…screen capture a picture of her naked for me, kay?"

Suddenly my anger flared at his teasing statement. "Back the fuck off, Seth," I snarled into the phone, my eyes watching Bella kick off her shoes.

"Woah!" he cried. "All right. Calm your shit, I was only kidding." He continued in a mutter. "Looks like someone marked his territory."

"Seth!" I barked, my fingers nearly crushing my phone.

"Okay! Jesus, calm down. Call me when you work off some steam…maybe with Isabella."

"God damn it, Seth!" I growled. He was putting very bad things into my head, especially since I watching Bella taking off her coat at that moment. He laughed once more before hanging up. Grinding my teeth together, I tossed my phone and turned back to the computer, giving it my full attention.

She'd continued walking into the living room, pulling the pins out of her hair and letting it fall naturally around her shoulders. Swallowing, I watched with my knee bouncing up and down in anxiousness. God this was so wrong but I just couldn't stop watching her. Luckily, she went into her room and out of sight, giving me a chance to breathe.

Instead I listened to the microphone hidden behind her many picture frames on her dresser. It was silent except for the sound of fabric until I heard her sigh loudly. I was probably going to make some kind of noise because my leg was bouncing so quickly against the wooden floor. No doubt the old woman downstairs would be quite angry. But I couldn't help it. My leg bouncing was the only thing that kept me where I was instead of letting me run off to Bella's apartment to role-play God damned erotic vampires with her. The woman would be the death of me.

It only took a moment until she came out of her bedroom in a tank top and those tight pants…what did girls call them again? Yoga pants? It didn't really matter because my head kind of fogged over as she walked into her kitchen. The continual hip swaying walk she had, especially in those clothes, made me look like a fish with my mouth hanging open and my eyes refusing to blink.

As she bent to open the fridge, ducking behind the door I came to my senses…somewhat. Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and tried to calm down the hormones raging through my body with no avail. Before I was able to control myself, she was in sight again with those plastic containers of ingredients in hand. She dropped them all the counter before reaching into one of the lower cupboards and bringing out a large pot, which she filled with water and set on the stove. It was actually interesting to watch her cook, listening to her hum quietly as she moved fluidly around the kitchen. As she began adding more and more to the pot I finally realized what she was making…chicken noodle soup. My stomach growled loudly as I imagined what it would taste like. I hadn't had a home cooked meal in a long time and I was craving to have some of Bella's.

Grabbing a large bowl she poured the steaming soup into it before putting on a top. She then proceed to wash everything she had used before drying her hands and slowly turning so she could lean against the counter. She looked like she was thinking about something and I wondered what it was. Did something happen at work? Something about Newton? Finally, she pushed herself towards the phone on the wall, muttering something under her breath as she went. Picking up the phone she stopped with her fingers hovering over the number pad. She was still again before hanging up the phone and nibbling at her fingernails. She was nervous about something but what was it?

The question continued to plague me as she got a determined look on her face and took her bowl of soup to the front hall to step into her shoes and shove on one of her light sweaters hanging in the closet. Taking what looked like a deep breath, she opened the door and left.

Jesus Christ! Where the hell was she going? Jumping up off the couch and ran to the window and looked down at the street below, waiting for her to walk out on to the sidewalk. I had to be ready to follow her at any moment. I waited…and waited…and waited. How long did take her to get down there? Was she taking the stairs? Had she gone out a back way? Was she visiting someone else in the building?

That's when there was a knock at my door. My head snapped around and froze when I heard the knock come again. "Ted?" Damn. That was _Bella's_ voice outside my door. "Ted? Are you in? It's Bella."

"Err…yeah!" I called back, hurriedly going to my laptop, slamming the screen closed and shoving it in my backpack to hide it. "Yeah. Just…just one minute!"

"Umm…is this a bad time?" she called, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"No, no!" I called, chucking my bag into my room, snatching the glasses on the table and slamming the door closed. "It's fine!"

"Look if you're stuck in bed because you're sick…you know what? I'll just come back later."

I literally leaped towards the door, unlocked it and yanked it open. She was halfway towards the elevator by the time I called out her name. She turned in surprise before that blush came over her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she said, ducking her head. "I didn't mean to wake you up. Umm…I'll just go…" She continued towards the elevator but I found myself jogging over to catch her arm before she got away. The surprise shone in her eyes as she looked up at me again.

"I wasn't sleeping," I chuckled with a careful smile, gently squeezing her arm. "I've been up all day."

"Oh," she said quietly. "I just…well your hair…it just looks like you…"

I was confused until she mentioned my hair and I remembered that she had never seen me with my real hairdo. Running my fingers through the messy locks, I laughed self-consciously. "Yeah, sometimes I get tired of using that gross hair stuff…"

She smiled slightly. "I wasn't try to insult you or anything I just…it's nice." She ended it lamely, her blush returning at full force.

"Well…thanks, I guess."

Bella ducked her head again so her long hair covered her face. "I'll just…go." She started to sidle towards the elevators again and I had to grab her shoulder to stop her.

"What's in the bowl," I asked, turning our attention to the soup she was still holding.

She jumped as if she had forgotten she was holding it before thrusting the bowl out to me. "It's chicken noodle soup. I thought you'd like some since you're sick and all but you don't have to eat it if you don't want to. I kind of made it last minute and I was going to call you before to ask you if you wanted some but then I realized I didn't have your number. Its not that good but I guess its eatable so you can throw it out if you want to. I mean I won't feel angry or anything -"

"Woah!" I cried, holding up my hands to stop her speech. "Calm down, Bella. It's only soup." She took a breath and calmed down while I continued. "And anyway, I've really wanted to try something of yours. You said you loved cooking."

She nodded. Smiling I went back to my open apartment door and waited for her to follow. She stood in the hall for a moment, obviously thinking it over with her lip between her teeth. I started to feel uncomfortable and was about to let it all go when she walked slowly over to me. Looking me straight in the eye she smirked, a complete change from her shy expressions before. My Bella was back. "I'll stay if you promise to shower me with compliments on my cooking skills."

I laughed. "Should I start off by saying that the color of the soup is superb?" She grinned, shaking her head as she walked into my apartment, allowing me to close the door behind us.

I almost ran into her because she was just standing in the middle of the entrance hall. "What?" I asked, standing beside her and noticing her stunned face.

"This is _your_ apartment?" she asked.

"Err…yeah," I said, finally realizing why she was so shocked. My place had obviously been updated and after seeing Bella's apartment it would give her good reason to be surprised. "It was renovated by the last owner and I…uh…got it for a really good price. Should we go to the kitchen? I'm starving." I chuckled, trying to get her mind off of the apartment.

"Oh yeah! Sorry, I just…yeah." She followed me into the kitchen in silence, her eyes taking in everything. When we got to our destination she stopped and out right stared, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. "This kitchen is…amazing."

Bella was careful when she placed the bowl of soup on the counter top before she went to investigate the appliances. I hadn't used most of them but she seemed to know everything about them. She was murmuring things to herself as she brushed her fingers lovingly over the stainless steel as if she were caressing them. Was it stupid to be jealous of a kitchen appliance?

When she opened my fridge she laughed, looked at me with her hand on her hip and clicked her tongue in disgust. "What?" I asked, perplexed. She opened the fridge door wider and showed me the near empty shelves. I shrugged. "I have the essentials."

"You call a pack of beer essential?" she asked, picking up one of the beer cans.

Laughing, I took the can from her before reaching past her for another. "You want one? I hear beer and soup go together well."

"Sure they do, Ted." Bella grinned but took the beer from me anyway, pushing the fridge door closed before walking over to her soup. She took off the top, allowing the steam to rise and the smell of chicken noodle soup to fill the room. I inhaled appreciatively and she grinned, proceeding to open all of my cupboards.

"What are you doing now?" I asked, leaning back against the counter and crossing my arms.

"Well I'm hoping you have bowls and spoons," she said, finding them. "Since your kitchen is so well equipped." I watched as she gave me a fair share of the soup, handing it to me and smiling. "Clears up that nasty cold you have there." She chuckled and winked before getting her own share.

"Oh…yeah," I said with a fake cough. "Very sick…err…"

"I don't care," she stated. "Everybody needs a day off work sometimes. Just wished you'd told me you were faking it."

I grinned. "But then I wouldn't get to taste your creation." I tried not to reveal how her last comment made me feel. _Just wished you'd told me you were faking it. _Yeah…that hit me hard with a punch of guilt. If the marks that guilt made on me could be shown, I'd be black and blue all over. Not so pretty anymore, huh?

But when I tasted her soup, I was in heaven. The woman really did know how to cook and before long I was done and looking for second helpings. She giggled, handing me back a full bowl. "Looks like you enjoyed it."

"You know you can come back and cook in here anytime you want," I stated. "My kitchen is yours if you promise to make me something every time you come by."

She stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

"Then its settled," I chuckled.

She laughed, picking up her empty bowl and going to wash it in my sink. Frowning I put down my soup and went over to her. "You don't have to do that! I can clean up. You made it after all." Bella shook her head but I stopped her from saying anything else. "Okay, fine. How about we split it? You wash, I dry?" It took her a moment of consideration before she nodded and after I scarffed down the rest of my second helping, we began to wash.

Everything was going great until she accidentally splashed me with the soapy water. Gasping, she stared in horror at the wet spot on my shirt. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry…" and then she started to laugh. Bella tried to stop herself but she was soon overtaken by a fit of giggles leaving me staring at her in shock, my shirt still wet in a large circle on my stomach. "I'm sorry," she chanted, out of breath from laughing.

"Oh yeah? You think that was funny? Think fast!" Suddenly I splashed her shirt and she jumped back in surprise, her mouth hanging open in that funny look of shock/amusement. I laughed and before long she was splashing more water on me…and then I found the sink sprayer.

Squealing in fright she opened the fridge door and hid behind it. "Ted Cullen, I swear to God. If you use that sprayer thing on me…I will hurt you."

"Uh huh," I said, spraying it in her direction so she had to duck so not to get hit. Laughing an evil laugh I grinned at the fridge door, acting like one of those cheesy villains in the James Bond movies. "Now I have you trapped Ms. Bella! What ever shall you do?"

"This!" I ducked just as threw an egg at me. Dropping the sprayer, I touched my arm to feel the sticky substance.

Before I could respond she smashed another egg on me, this time it was on my chest so I could feel it dripping down my shirt. She'd run at me and I'd grabbed her before she could escape. She screamed with laughter as I spun her around to face me.

And that was when everything stopped. That was when the playfulness turned serious. Bella Swan was pressed up against my chest covered in water and egg. Her warm breath was against my face, fanning her sweet scent in my direction. Her beautiful body was in my arms…and her lips were only inches from mine.

"That was very bad, Ms. Bella," I murmured to her, our eyes locked.

Suddenly her hands came out of no where, reaching up and taking off my glasses. I should have stopped her. I should have kept my real identity hidden but I was frozen. We stared at one another for what seemed like forever until she spoke again. "You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen," she whispered.

That was surprising. Sure I'd been complimented on my looks before but never had I been complimented on my eyes. That was when I realized that Bella truly was different from all the other women I had been with. She actually looked at me like I was a person and no woman who was helping a man cheat on his wife would ever do that.

On complete instinct I leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. The scent of strawberries surrounded me and her taste should be a whole flavor on its own. But I was waiting for the inevitable push she was going to give me. I was waiting for her to scream, shout and slap me across the face…but that never came. Her mouth responded to mine and before long she was kissing me back.

Bella's fingers threaded through my hair as she pressed herself closer and I was having trouble keeping my hands innocently on her hips. Then her tongue touched mine and I was lost. I forcefully kissed her now, my hands roaming her body as our tongues battled for dominance. The only thought that would describe my actions would be that I was 'claiming her as my own.' Rubbing my scent on her as if to stake my claim and ward off any and all others. The actions I made were to send a clear message to all: she was mine.

Her moan of approval made me realize I needed more of her. Grabbing the backs of her thighs I hoisted her up on to the counter and proceeded to ravish her neck. The thought of marking her with something like a hickey made me even more aroused so I made sure that her neck was thoroughly kissed. Her hands continued to run through my hair as she tilted her head back and offered more of her neck to me, which I gladly took. Never had I been so enraptured by a woman and after being with Bella and watching her for months my carnal need was on overload. She'd teased me for far too long.

As I reached her mouth again I became frantic to be nearer to her. I wanted skin to skin contact and with all the clothes that we were still wearing I wouldn't be able to feel her properly.

I'd just slipped my fingers under the neckline of her sweater, brushing my fingertips along the skin of her shoulder, when my phone rang. I was shocked as our kisses slowed, allowing me to pull away and rest my head against her neck. Shocked and frustrated. I was straining to be within her and I was so close to feeding the desire coursing through my veins when someone had to call and mess everything up.

Looking up at her apologetically I took in her appearance with pride. Her lips were red and swollen, her cheeks flushed and her eyes dark with desire. I had done that to her and I'd never felt so proud of myself. The ringing phone made me snap out of my daze. "Sorry," I muttered. "Always bad fucking timing."

Bella stared at me before letting out a giggle. I couldn't help but grin as she laughed. This playful break allowed me to turn and grab the phone off the wall. "What?" I barked and Bella laughed even more, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Why haven't you contacted me?"

I froze at the voice on the other end of the line. Jessica Newton. Fuck. My eyes snapped over to see Bella happily hopping off the counter and going to clean the mess we had created with the water and eggs. The exaggerated sway of her hips enchanted me, making Jessica's phone call drift away. Damn…I really wanted to be between those legs again…

"Edward!" the shrill voice barked in my ear.

"Yes?" I questioned after a brief moment of calming myself.

"I told you to keep me updated but I haven't heard from you in months!" she cried. "Mike is still staying out late! He's supposed to be home right now but he's not. He's out with that slut! Are you following her? Where is the evidence?"

My grip on the phone increased until I heard the plastic creak, ready to break. How dare she talk about Bella that way!

"Bel-" I stopped myself, turning to see the woman we were talking about wiping down the counters. She didn't seem to notice my slip up. "_She's_ not out with him."

"And how would you know that? Are you following them?"

"No. She's right he-" I clamped my mouth shut again. I couldn't tell Jessica that Bella was with me. She'd freak out and I was not going to let Bella get hurt in this mess. "She's in her apartment. Trust me."

I heard Jessica huff in annoyance. "Yeah sure. Just get me some evidence! I'm paying you good money and you're fucking me over!" The click of Jessica hanging up was followed by the dull dial tone.

Sighing, I hung up and looked over my shoulder at the woman in my kitchen. She smiled at me and the guilt tore through my body, mostly my chest. I was backstabbing her and she didn't even know it. Why did it all hurt so much?

Her smile turned to a frown. "Ted?" she asked and I winced at my fake name. What I would give just to hear her say my real name. I wanted her to say it, whisper it, moan it…scream it. "Are you all right?"

Nodding I forced a smile on to my face. "Just a little tired."

She smiled again, walking up to me and taking my face in her hands. She was so gentle with me… "Sure," she chuckled. "You've probably been asleep all day, huh?" My lips tilted up a little more up at her teasing. "But that's fine. I'll go. I have to get up early for work anyway. My friend is coming to stay with me over the weekend and I have to pick her up at the airport before work."

Bella went up on her tiptoes to kiss me gently, softly. It was selfish of me to kiss her back and drink in the care she was giving to me. I wasn't worthy of her. "I'll see you later?" she whispered and I nodded. Brushing her fingers through my hair once more, she smiled and left. I heard the door close and knew she was gone.

I stood in the empty kitchen with my shirt covered in water and egg, listening to the silence. Suddenly I felt…lonely. I felt like I was missing something. I felt cold.

But I was cold. Nothing but a cold, selfish bastard who would gladly take advantage of an innocent woman like Bella. Never before, in all the jobs I had done, had I felt so much guilt. But never before had I felt so…cared for. To most I was just something to claim but to Bella…I was actually someone to depend on and I had a sudden urge to protect her from the Newton's. There was no way that she was guilty and I was going to make it my duty to prove it.

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**Author's Note**

Naughty, naughty Edward! Sorry for the wait ladies! I've been really busy. BUT I am almost finished high school! Going up to my best friends cottage next week with a few other girls so we can celebrate our graduation but after that I'll be back to writing a lot more. I also went to my Prom about a week ago. My friends and I danced for almost four hours straight! The whole graduating class was on the dance floor at the same time and when they played the Black Eyed Peas, the floor was shaking because everybody was laughing, screaming and jumping up and down. LOVED IT! But I can't wait to move on. Goodbye smelly high school, hello college boys!

So I've also been thinking about my next stories. I've got about seven ideas for new fanfictions (all of them Edward/Bella) but I promised I'd do a cowboy one for you guys so that's what you can look forward to after I finish this one. If you guys are curious as to what the story will be about, I posted a banner on my new Twitter account. I suggest you ladies watch your favorite cowboy movies to get in the mood. Paul Newman anyone?

Follow me on Twitter! Just search 'carribbeanlady' or click on the link on my profile page. Lots of updates to come on there.


	5. Chapter 5

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

* * *

The jab of someone's elbow in my side made me jerk in surprise and spin around to confront my attacker. Emmett's grinning face made me sigh and run my hand through my hair in frustration. He was messing up my surveillance job of Newton's office. I'd been standing by the water cooler that had a great view of the boss' office door for about an hour and no one had really noticed me, except for Angela who smiled at me as she took a small cup to water her plants on her desk. I'd been kind to her, asking about her and Ben, letting her talk about their date and how excited she was about going on another one. She was a sweet girl and I felt genuinely happy for them. But the amazing last few hours I had had might have caused my good mood.

Not only had I got that time with Bella the day before in my kitchen (even the thought made me hot with lust) but I also had time with her during the lunch break. We had done the same thing we did every day, picked up everyone's lunches before grabbing our own. But today was different. For one, the weather was getting warmer and it was an unusually hot day, which allowed us to sit on the patio of a nearby bistro for our break. And then there was the advancement in our relationship where she allowed me to touch her, hold her hand and kiss her freely. I couldn't stop myself from doing all of it, always moving closer to her like magnets and looking – no, staring – at her whenever she was in sight. It was really odd to be acting like what seemed like a dog with a new chew toy. Very playful, protective and possessive. I was all of it when it came to Bella. If any guy even peeked at her out of the corner of his eye I felt like running over there and punching him right in his ugly face. But the one idiot whose face I wanted to smash in was Mike Newton.

The workday was almost over when Emmett found me by the water cooler. I'd been spending the rest of my time after lunch watching Newton's office for any suspicious activity. He'd been sitting in there, shouting at either employees or the phone and then playing what must have been solitaire on his computer because he continually swore at the monitor. Dumb ass. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Day's over, Teddy," Emmett chuckled. Frowning he looked up. "What's with your hair? You look like you just got out of bed or something."

I ran my hand through my hair again, feeling it sticking up like it normally did. Why hadn't I used the gel today? Was it because I was tired of the greasy stuff or did Bella's opinion of my hair change my mind? I swatted that thought away. She didn't control me that much!

"Something like that," I admitted.

He shrugged. "Well pack up, kid. You don't wanna miss Bella on her way home." He winked and I rolled my eyes in response.

Maybe we weren't as sneaky in the office as we thought. A few passing glances and smiles along with a kiss or two (or three…four…maybe five) in deserted corridors. We should have realized people were lurking everywhere, looking for some juicy gossip about the new office love affair. Emmett seemed to be the keeper of gossip, which may surprise many. I would have believed it was Bonnie or Lauren (the graphic designers) who were the gossip gatekeepers due to their plastic appearances and flirty looks they gave all the men. They reminded me a lot of Jessica and that really wasn't a compliment.

I abandoned my post at the water cooler to walk with Emmett towards the elevators, following the herd of other employees who were also heading home. We came to Bella's desk and I was let down when I noticed it was empty. She'd already left. Well that would be understandable since she was having her friend over at her apartment.

I hadn't met the woman but I did see her on my laptop that morning. Bella had got up quite early to pick her up from the airport and bring her back to her apartment before going to work. She was exhausted when I'd met her that morning but she seemed to perk up when we went on our lunch break. When Bella brought her friend home I took in everything about the woman. She was very short in height, thin with black hair just reaching past her ears and a small, round face. I'd seen her before in Bella's photographs but never had a name for her. She wore extravagant clothing, bright colors and many, many layers, including a scarf even though it was warm outside. She seemed disgusted when she walked into Bella's apartment, snapping off her designer sunglasses and staring with pursed lips at the old carpet beneath her expensive shoes.

"Well," Bella huffed, pulling in the woman's giant suitcase with difficulty. "Welcome to Casa de Swan."

"Who is your designer?" she snapped, poking at the old couch as if it would bite her.

Bella laughed breathlessly. "I don't have one, Alice."

The woman named Alice turned to look at her. "How do you live, child?" she asked before they both burst into laughter. It was obvious they were the best of friends, no matter how different they were. I watched them for a while before work as they talked about memories and old jokes. Alice seemed to have two different personalities. There was serious and then there was giggly. She went back and forth between them both, fashion talk in her serious personality and memories in her giggly. Then Alice brought up the subject I was interested in.

"So this city is huge. There has to be one cute guy you like!" she prodded. I knew Bella was probably blushing like crazy and I couldn't help but grin. Alice gasped and giggled again. "There is one! Who? Who is he? Is he tall? Is he dark? Is he handsome? Is he romantic? Does he have fashion sense? What color are his eyes? He doesn't have greasy hair right? Is his name manly? Cause I seriously can't stand when guys have girl names! Like Sandy from The OC! Oh my God! I mean he is so nice and all but seriously couldn't they have called him Sam or something…?"

"Alice!" Bella cried. She stuck her hand over her friends rambling mouth and I sighed in relief. That woman just wouldn't stop talking. Suddenly Bella looked over to her clock and gasped. "I got to go work! I'll…umm…see you after! Go shopping and stuff. Here's the extra key." – she handed it to Alice – "Don't get lost. Call me if you need help or something. Bye!" She kissed her friends cheek before running towards the door.

"Bella!" she shrieked. "You haven't told me about the guy!"

"Ummm…later!" Bella called. She opened the door while pulling on one of her shoes.

"Fine! But you better be ready for a whole discussion and you will be introducing me to him!"

"Bye!" Bella yelled before slamming the door.

That was when I realized that I had to be at work too so I didn't get to see anymore about Alice. But Bella did bring her up at lunch, talking to me about how much of a handful she could be. She was going to invite her to lunch but apparently the pixie's phone was turned off. I was happy about that since I had more time alone with Bella before Alice decided to question me like a police interrogation. I could just see her shining the light in my eyes while demanding what my favorite color was.

The elevator doors opened and the herd of workers squished inside. Emmett and I decided to wait for the next one as the doors closed on all the people inside. As we were waiting I heard Newton's door opening and he came out with his cell phone between his ear and his shoulder as he walked towards us. "Look Jessie, I can't be home early tonight! I got a lot of work to do, babe…yeah I know our anniversary is next week…well we can celebrate then…yes we can – oh no not your parents!" He groaned as he stopped beside Emmett and I. "You know they hate my guts…how about we go to the coast for the weekend, okay babe? Yeah…all right. Bye." He hung up and rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh. "Women! They can be real bitches sometimes!" he laughed with that gross smile of his. Emmett grunted in response and I gave him a fake grin. _And you're gum on the bottom of my shoe, asshole._

The elevator doors opened again and we all stepped in, Newton continuing on with his rant about women and how to "control" them. I watched Emmett cracking his knuckles out of the corner of my eye; his fiery gaze centered on Newton. The part about wives learning their place really made the big guy angry. I shoved him with my shoulder, giving him the don't-even-think-about-it look. He breathed deeply and nodded his thanks to me.

Sticking my hand into my pocket I managed to find the GPS locator I'd kept there. I'd kept it (another of Seth's Ebay purchases) in my pocket so I could stick it on Newton at some point. He was my new target since I'd decided Bella was innocent. Now I needed to know about the woman he was really having an affair with. I waited until the elevator door opened and we all headed out. Emmett walked ahead of us, desperate to get away from his boss, leaving Newton and I walking together. With the locator in my palm, glue side up, I gave Mike a hard thump on the back, adding in a loud laugh. "Thanks for the tips, sir," I said with a fake smile. "Don't know what I'd do without you!"

Newton looked a little shaken as he fell forward slightly. Weakling, I'd barely touched him. I'd gladly show him a real punch sometime...

"Err, you're welcome, Ted," he chuckled uncertainly. "See you Monday?"

I nodded before taking off for home, glad to be away from the idiot. On the way, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number to activate the GPS. Soon I was watching Newton in his car as he headed to who knows where. Grinning, I sped up my pace to get home so I could change and start my Newton manhunt.

I'd decided to ditch my disguise and go as myself to follow Mike so he didn't recognize me. It felt good to get back into my old clothes and toss the glasses on the table instead of wearing them. Using my computer, I found out Newton had stopped in at some famous downtown club. So that was what he called working?

The place was pretty close and I easily walked there, showing up at peak time. There was a growing line outside but I had an easy way in. I knew the bouncer.

"Edward!" Felix laughed as I strolled towards the club. He grabbed me into a tough hug before letting me go. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Felix was the stereotypical bouncer. Tall (at least six foot five), muscled and dressed all in black. He definitely was intimidating and that was why he was given the best bouncer jobs. I'd frequented a lot of the clubs he worked at, on the search for targets or just random ladies to charm. He was really a jolly guy outside of his work.

"Ah, nothing," I said with shrug. "Got a new job? Good for you."

He grinned. "Thanks! It's a really exclusive place too."

"Really?" I asked, interested.

He nodded. "Only the rich and famous."

Suddenly two blonde women walked up to us, giving me a hot look. They looked like twins, both having the stereotypical lollipops in their mouths, short, tight dresses and overdone makeup. I gave them a polite smile and they snickered to each other, exaggerating the licks they took to the candy. In the past, I would have taken them up on their silent invitations but they weren't the ones I wanted. Too bad they weren't brunettes.

Felix, however, was entranced and immediately let them into the club. We both watched as they sauntered into the darkness and flashing lights.

"So…what's going on here?" I finally asked when they disappeared.

"Ladies night," he laughed.

"Are you going to let us in or what?" We both turned to see the line of desperate men waiting to be let in. Poor guys.

I patted Felix's shoulder. "I'll just head in."

He nodded and let me pass before turning to the line and demanding for the man who spoke up to say it to his face. I could just picture the guys cowering in fear. Felix did that to people and I'd be scared shitless too. But that's the perks that came with knowing the bouncers. Avoiding being caught in the desperate man's line.

The club was in complete darkness except for the bar, the flashing neon lights and the small lanterns on the sparse tables. Most of the club was taken up by the dance floor, which was completely crowded with grinding bodies, and the bar sat off to the very right, every chair taken up. The bass made the floor shake with a techno beat as the people practically dry humped each other in a way that they called dancing. Mind you, I didn't mind grinding, but I was a man. We'd take any kind of sexual moves.

I decided to check the bar first. Newton would probably be getting his mistress drunk before going back to her place. I shuffled around the dance floor, a lot of drunken women trying to get me to dance with them. I declined each time and watched as they skipped off to find another guy to grind against. I finally reached the bar and squinted to see if I could recognize him getting plastered.

I grinned in accomplishment when I spotted him rambling on to…Lauren? So she was his mistress all along. She laughed before throwing her legs across his lap. He grabbed them and leaned in to give her sloppy kisses on her bright red lips. Disgusting. He was obviously drunk and feeling up one of his employees who was as inebriated as he was. I should have known it was Lauren. The way that she always found a way to either go into or pass his office. Quickly, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture of them making out. It was quite dark but Jessica would obviously be able to tell who was in it.

Mystery solved, I thought with a sigh of relief. I'd go and see Jessica tomorrow and tell her all about how wrong she was with Bella. Then…I'd have to leave. The thought deflated my good mood right away. Finishing this case meant that I had to leave Bella alone. I had to leave Ted and go back to my life as Edward. But I liked my life as Ted…and Bella and I had just got started. No. I had to realize that there would be no way to come clean with her. She would hate me. I just needed to leave and never look back…no matter how much I wanted to.

Suddenly, someone bumped into me from behind. Turning around, I caught a woman who had stumbled against me. She giggled drunkenly and wobbled in her high heels and short dress. Then she looked up at me.

"Bella?" I cried in surprise.

Her hazy brown eyes clicked in recognition before she grabbed my face and stared into my eyes. "Ted!" I heard her laugh. "I knew it was you cause of your eyes!"

She snorted and fell against me in hysterical giggles. Dear God…Bella was as drunk as a pirate.

"Bella!" I heard a squeal over the booming bass. "Oh my God! I am so sorry!" Alice came into view, grabbing Bella around her shoulders. She gave me an apologetic smile. "She doesn't hold drinks well."

"No, Alice!" Bella screamed, grabbing on to my shirt. "This is him! This is sexy Ted, see?" – she turned to me again and continued in a whisper – "I told her you were pretty." She snorted in laughter. "But not like girly pretty! Like manly pretty! I told her I want to lick you all -"

"Bella! Jesus Christ!" Alice cried, putting her hand over her friend's mouth. "Filter, for God's sake! Filter!"

"It's all right," I choked out before clearing my throat. Bella's comments were already getting me hot and bothered. Damn it hold it together, Edward. "I _am_ Ted. You must be Alice."

She glared suspiciously at me. "And how do I know you are who you say you are?"

Sighing, I dug into my pocket and pulled out my driver's license with Ted's info on it. Thank God I remembered to bring it with me at the last minute. She stared at it before nodding. "How long has she been like this?" I asked, putting my wallet away.

Alice shrugged, struggling to hold Bella up. "Not that long. Like I said, she doesn't hold drinks well. A few shots and she's done."

"Can I have another one?" Bella asked.

Alice and I ignored her question. "Here. Give her to me," I said, grabbing Bella.

Alice let her lean against me and sighed in relief. I wrapped my arms around Bella waist and held her tightly so she couldn't fall or squirm away. And of course, in her drunken state, she got the wrong idea and voiced it. "Ted, you dirty boy!" Bella squealed, slapping my shoulder. "Sexual intercourse is not permitted in public places…No matter how much fun it would be!"

"Oh my God," Alice cried, covering her face. "This is getting out of hand. Can you help me get her back to her apartment?"

I nodded and let Alice lead the way out while I dragged Bella after her. She continued to giggle and wave to everyone as we left the club. Damn, Bella was really different when she was drunk. But alcohol can really change people. Take away all the inhibitions. So was this what Bella wanted to say to me but never had the courage to? If that was true…the woman really was dirty.

Felix looked at us weirdly as we left. "She had too much," Alice explained and he seemed to understand. He probably got that a lot with his job.

We started down the street towards our apartment building with Alice walking ahead and me dragging Bella behind. It was slow going and I finally realized that dragging her was not helping our pace. I let her go and she stumbled into a brick wall, another round of giggles erupting from her mouth.

"Come on," I said, my back to her as I bent my knees.

She squealed in delight, a noise I had never heard her make before. "Piggyback ride!" I felt her hands grabbing my shoulders as she hoisted herself up onto my back. With her legs wrapped around my waist and her arms clutching my neck, we started for home again at a much faster pace.

Along the way Bella fell asleep, her soft snores brushing against my ear as Alice held the elevator doors open. We stepped inside and I turned to stare at Bella's bashful looking friend. "How'd it happen?" I questioned her.

She pressed her lips together in embarrassment. "I don't know. I made her go out with me after she came home from work. I heard about that cool club having ladies night so I decided Bella needed some time away from work."

"And why is she wearing this?" I asked her, my fingers brushing over the fabric of Bella's short black dress.

The elevator doors opened on to Bella's floor and Alice stepped out first with her keys. "Well, I thought she needed to show what the guys of this city were missing. I actually thought she was making you up just so I'd get off her case because she kept avoiding my questions." She pushed the apartment door in and held it so I could carry Bella inside. Immediately, I went for her bedroom knowing she needed some rest. Alice continued talking as she followed me, turning on all the lights. "So I bought her that stuff and made her wear it. I should have known she was uncomfortable before she started ordering the shots…"

"How many did she have?" I asked before sitting on the edge of the bed to let Bella fall back. Alice helped me, holding her friends back and lowering her gently so we wouldn't wake her up. I stood as soon as Bella was safely lying on the bed.

"I kind of wasn't keeping track," Alice admitted in a whisper as she pulled off Bella's high heels.

"And you're not drunk?" I questioned skeptically.

She smirked at me. "I can hold my drinks. Don't judge me by my size. I've been drinking a hell of a lot longer than Bella. I'm tipsy, I'll admit that, but I'm far from drunk, buddy." She tried to shove Bella's limp body from lying horizontal to vertical on the bed but was unable. Putting her hands on her hips, she glared at me as I stood there.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned over Bella and gently tugged her until she was under the covers and in the right position. Her eyelashes fluttered and she groggily looked up at me. "Where am I?" she asked hoarsely.

"Shhh," I murmured, tucking the blankets around her. "You're home."

She stared at me in confusion before sighing. "Oh…okay," she whispered before cuddling into her pillow and falling asleep again. She was really going to regret it all in the morning.

Alice came up behind me with a bottle of Aspirin and sighed as she looked at her sleeping friend. "She's going to need these when she wakes up." – she set the bottle on the bedside table before turning to look at me – "Thanks for helping me by the way."

I nodded, took one last look at Bella and left her room. "Just make sure she doesn't jump out a window or something," I stated as I opened the front door. "And take care of her when she gets up. Hang overs are a real bitch."

Alice smirked at me. "You seem like an expert in the field."

I shrugged. "I've been plastered more than a few times and I'm finally learning my lessons with alcohol. Just watch her, okay?"

She eyed me with that same smirk as if she knew something I didn't. It was unnerving. "You got it, buddy." She gave me a mock salute as I closed the door and started towards the elevator.

Checking my phone, I noticed Newton had left the club and was now in some other part of town. He was probably fucking Lauren at her place or something and I really did not feel like following him. I'd do it later and besides, I had evidence to send to Jessica. I could finally close the case and reveal the moron for the cheating dick that he was. But no matter how much happiness that brought me, I always went back to the thought of leaving Bella alone. Never seeing her again…

Shoving my apartment door open, I stepped into the dark room and refused to turn on any of the lights. I decided to embrace the darkness since that was probably what the rest of my life would be like. Fuck, I was an emotional piece of shit. Whatever happened to not giving a damn?

Running my hands through my hair, I slammed the door closed, tossed my keys aside and flopped down on to the couch. But still the stupid little emotions battled in my head, the ones that didn't give a damn and the ones that adored Bella. The ones that told me to fuck her and run and the ones that told me to cherish her and stay. Growling I shoved them all away and decided I would send Jessica my evidence before moving on. It was my job and staying with Bella wasn't apart of it. I had to finish the case and dump her, no matter how guilty I felt. Besides, she deserved better than me: the lying son a bitch who desperately wanted to make love…err, fuck her.

I pulled out my phone again and dialed Jessica's number. She picked up after a few rings and sounded pissed. "What?" she snapped.

"I got your evidence for you," I stated.

She paused and I heard the shuffling in the background as she moved. "Well Mike's not here because he's working late so where is the evidence against her?" Working, my ass. He was banging Lauren.

"That's the difference," I chuckled. "It's not against Bella."

"What the hell are you talking about?" she questioned.

"I got you a snap shot of your husband and another woman. You might know her. Does the name Lauren ring any bells?"

She gasped. "You bastard! That's my best friend! How dare you try and turn this around on her when I know it's that slutty Swan girl who is seducing my husband!"

Growling in annoyance, I sent the photo of her dirty spouse and his bimbo and waited for her to get it. I heard her muttering and the _bing _of her receiving the picture. There was a silence before her loud voice came over the phone again. "That's not my husband."

"Like hell it's not!" I snarled. "I saw him with my own damn eyes."

"Well obviously, you were wrong!" she screamed back. My teeth grinded together in anger as she went on. "And I think I know why you are trying to trick me into not trusting my best friend!" – she paused – "You've fallen for that slut! Has she opened her legs for you too? I bet she's done it with that guy, Emmett! No wonder he adores her so much. What is with you stupid men who think she's so innocent? Are you protective of her too?" Suddenly, I was picturing myself strangling her scrawny neck but she continued. "I can't stand her anymore! Ohh, I bet she can do some great blow jobs, huh? How many men has she gone down on? Everyone at the office, including my husband! She probably forced him to do it! Oh, God! My poor Mikey."

"Your poor Mikey is a disgusting piece of shit who deserves to have his head smashed in. I'd gladly do it!" I snapped, clutching the phone in my hand.

"So you _have_ fallen for her act! God, she's such a little whore!" she yelled.

"Fucking leave Bella out of this. You know that was Lauren and Mike in that picture but you just won't admit it."

"Oh," she murmured. "Have you told her that you've been lying to her for months?" I stayed silent and she giggled evilly. "Oh this is just rich! Just wait until she finds out!"

"Stay out of it," I snarled but she wasn't listening.

"Okay, I'm changing my terms," she said. "Either you find me real evidence in a week or I find Bella and tell her all about your little secret. Just imagine her face! Hah!"

I was imagining her face and it was breaking my heart. I could see the shock and then the disappointment flashing on her face. Then she'd be angry with me and I'd never get a real chance with her. Fuck me, I wanted a real chance with her as myself and not Ted. I wanted her to know me as who I was and call me by my real name.

"So do you agree or disagree?" Jessica snapped.

"Agree," I muttered. Pictures of strangling her came into my mind again. Her face would turn purple and her eyes would pop out. What a satisfying feeling it would be.

"Good," she said. "Then this conversation is over. See you Friday."

The dial tone hit my ear as I stared into space. Then the sudden rage hit me and I tossed my cell phone straight across the room. It smashed against the wall but I wasn't looking. My head was in my hands and I felt like I was drowning. How did I get myself into so much trouble?

* * *

**Author's Note**

Has it been a while? I guess so. But I was up north at my friends' cottage for about four days so I guess that gives me a free pass. The five of us basically giggled about guys, sex and ate junk food. It was fun! And the vampires of the insect world love me and my sweet blood (does that mean I'd be a lot of vampires' singer?) I think I got about fourteen bites. It's very pretty in Muskoka but I'd rather be in Florida…in a hotel…with a clean pool.

SO for this chapter you can see that there is a club scene so if you need songs to listen to try 'I Turn to You (Louie Devito)' by Mel C and 'Shiny Toy Guns' by Le Disko. They gave me muse. AND I've finished the first chapter of the cowboy story but it's not going up until I finish this one. I should finish this story this summer. This one probably has about three more chapters left. Everyone excited for Bella's inevitable realization about the real Edward? Me too and I'm the one that's writing it!

Follow me on Twitter! Just search 'carribbeanlady' or click on the link on my profile page. Lots of updates to come on there.


	6. Chapter 6

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

* * *

Saturday was an uneventful day but that may have been because I hadn't heard from Bella. Of course I had watched her on the laptop but she never came by or even called. I felt slightly disappointed but couldn't hold it against her. She probably felt like shit after such an eventful night. She needed her rest and that was exactly what she got.

Alice had slipped into the bed next to Bella not long after I left and that made me feel much better. At least her friend was there to stop her from doing anything crazy…like jumping out her window. I had turned off the laptop after I heard both their heavy breaths, signaling that they had gone to sleep. It allowed me to sleep easily – or easier since I was still worrying about Jessica's new idea – and before long it was morning or the beginning of the weekend.

Usually I enjoyed the weekend. Going out to different places like parks, clubs and stores (mainly to search for women) didn't seem as fun as it used to be. Now I just found myself lying on the couch, watching television with my laptop that I'd set up on the coffee table. I lounged in old clothes that I'd just shoved on when I got up and was drinking another bottle of beer. Wow. Didn't I look appetizing to the females? I looked like a drunk who'd given up on life. If all those girls I'd dated in the past could see me now! I wondered how they'd look at me and the loser I had become.

I could have been out looking for Newton searching for new evidence but I just couldn't get myself up off my ass. Besides, I couldn't really track him anymore since I'd destroyed my phone. It was basically smashed into two pieces and was holding on by a few wires. I'd done a video chat with Seth when I got up and showed him the damage I had caused. The poor kid looked close to tears. The destruction of technology kind of caused that reaction in him. And then there was the Sci-Fi movies that made him cry. I remembered sitting in his basement watching Star Wars with him and he literally (not kidding) burst into tears when Han Solo was encased in carbonite. He tried to pass it off as something in his eyes but I knew better. I felt sorry for the kid sometimes. No wonder he had no girlfriend.

The last thing I could have done that day was to go and see Bella myself. But when I saw her staggering out of her bedroom at one in the afternoon, I decided against it. She looked like hell even after she had cleaned herself up. She dragged her feet across the carpet as if she couldn't lift her legs and her head was bowed as she poured herself some coffee. Alice was already sitting on the couch, the television on some kind of fashion channel, watching her friend collapse next to her. Bella's sigh was loud as Alice made a low hum of sympathy for her, pushing the hair away from her friend's face.

"I'd hoped it wouldn't be so bad," she murmured.

"It's bad," Bella answered, hissing and rubbing her temples. "I can't believe I drank so much."

"Me either," Alice admitted. "But it's lucky that Ted was there, huh?"

Bella's head snapped up and she groaned again. "What? Ted was there?"

Alice nodded. "He helped me take you home. Basically carried you." Bella moaned in what must have been embarrassment as she hid her face. "You seemed to enjoy it," Alice continued. "You sure do have a dirty mouth on you when you're drunk."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what I said."

"Well there was something about having sex in public and how you would think it'd be fun." – Bella gasped in horror – "And then there was the point where you called him sexy and went on to say he was pretty and that you – errr – wanted to lick him all over…?"

"Oh. My. God!" Bella cried, burying her face in her knees and screaming.

Alice covered her ears. "Jeez. I'm not the one without a hangover and that still hurt my head."

"He's going to think I'm such an idiot!" Bella cried, ignoring her friends comment.

Alice shook her head, picking up her own cup of coffee and taking a slow sip. "Not that you're an idiot. Maybe that you're scary as a drunk though. Poor guy looked shocked when you ran into him…and then you opened your mouth…" Her friend winced.

"Ugh, Alice! I was counting on you to make sure I didn't get drunk!" Bella complained.

"Me?" her friend cried. "You didn't tell me that! I'm not supposed to be the sober, responsible one. That's your job." Alice put her cup down on the table before turning back to Bella, very serious now. "Why were you drinking so much anyway?"

I was curious about this as well. Why would Bella, a responsible and careful person, drink until she lost her mind?

The woman in question hid her face against her raised knees again and there was silence for a moment. Alice spoke up instead. "Is this about Ted? Are you telling the truth about him or is he really…Bella is he hurting you?"

Both Bella and I were shocked at this. Her head spun around to stare at Alice. "Of course not!" she snapped. "Ted is…Oh God, he's just so…amazing, really. I can't describe him."

"Try," her friend persisted with a kind smile and a gentle hand on her arm.

"Well," Bella started. "He's obviously beautiful" – Alice looked like she thought differently and Bella noticed – "Well I think so, anyway. His eyes are like…the greenest I have ever seen and he's so tall and thin but he's got enough muscle to lift me right off my feet…" She trailed off and I'm sure she was blushing crazily. "Umm, don't ask me how I know that. But…he'd never hurt me. He's so caring and shy and funny and -"

"Your perfect man?" Alice cut in.

My throat was blocked and I was finding it hard to breathe as the silence went on. I was sitting on the edge of the couch, my eyes refusing to blink and my ears ringing in the complete quiet of Bella's apartment and mine. My heart was going to leap out of my chest if she didn't answer soon. I knew that she liked the way I looked (even if I dressed like a geek) and that she thought I was nice but did she really think I was perfect for her?

Suddenly there was a thump and wet feeling on my bare feet. Looking down I realized I'd dropped the beer I'd been holding and there was now a large puddle at my feet. As I stared at the liquid I realized what I was doing. I was spying on Bella. That was wrong. Even though it had seemed like a good idea in the beginning I was finally realizing how wrong this truly was. She was Bella, my…friend. She wasn't the one I was after anymore so why was I still watching her and Alice's private conversations? I wanted her to trust me and invading her personal time was not right.

Reaching out, I pushed the laptop closed until the click was heard and I could no longer see nor hear Bella's apartment. I felt disgusting at that point. I felt sick, actually. There was that desperate need to tell her everything, just let it all out, but there was also that fear of losing her. I couldn't lose her. She was such a large part of my life now and without her, it was looking very bleak indeed. God, I was obsessed.

I spent the rest of the day sitting on the couch and watching television. The laptop stayed closed even though it continually tempted me to open it again, just to check on her.

I'd never realized how boring television was until I spent that day in front of it. All the shows were the same and ran together as the lonely hours passed. I'd been oddly enraptured with a reality show where the people were throwing chairs across the stage, until a woman came on to say that her boyfriend was lying about his identity. That was too close to home and I changed the channel quickly. I only got up off my ass to grab a drink or something to eat from the kitchen and before long the sun had set. By nine at night my eyes were glued to the television, my body was slumped against the cushions and my hand was balancing another beer on my stomach. I'd been stuck watching an old black and white film that I didn't even know the name of. All I knew was that the woman who played the supporting role looked a lot like Bella…

The loud buzzing sound of my alarm clock woke me up from a deep sleep. I'd forgotten to turn it off the night before. It was supposed to wake me up today so I could follow up on Bella. But since I'd decided I wasn't going to watch her on the laptop, it was really useless to wake me up at seven in the morning. I grumbled, rubbing my sleep filled eyes as the buzzing continued in my ear. It was loud since I'd fallen asleep on the couch and the clock was in my bedroom. The television also murmured in the background since I'd also forgotten to turn it off. My whole body ached from lying sideways on the sofa and I groaned in pain as I sat up. I was going to regret it later, I thought as my eyes strayed to the bottles of beer spread out on the coffee table.

Rubbing my face, I made myself get up and stumble to my room to shut off the damn alarm. It was close to being destroyed by the time I got there and flicked the off switch. Now all I could hear was the low sound of the voices on the television. I sighed, feeling alone again. Bella still hadn't called and I worried that she decided she didn't want to see me anymore.

Instead of dwelling on the fact that I hadn't heard from her, I went to the bathroom to clean myself up. Looking at reflection above the sink made me grimace. My face had heavy stubble, my hair was even more messy and dirty and I had dark shadows under my tired eyes. I didn't have to make myself have a shower and a shave since my mind already demanded it. There was a little voice in the back of my head that continued to whisper that Bella might come today. She might contact me and that was reason enough to clean myself up.

After showering, shaving, brushing my teeth (to get rid of that breath that probably smelled of beer and old Chinese food) and dressing in clean jeans and a shirt, I headed to the kitchen for breakfast. I'd just opened the fridge when I heard a tentative knock at my door. I wouldn't have heard it if I wasn't in the kitchen but after a few moments of silence I started to question if it really was a knock or if it was in my mind. Shrugging, I went back to putting my breakfast together.

Just as I kicked the fridge door closed there was a confident and loud knock. This time I knew it was real. Dropping what I was doing, I went to the peephole and was surprised to see the person who was standing there. I yanked open the door and just stared at the woman standing there in the hall. She was biting her lip and staring at the stained hall carpet until I stood in the doorway.

"Hi," Bella murmured, those big brown eyes holding my gaze.

"Hi," I answered.

She looked around, embarrassed, before catching my eyes again. "I'm sorry for coming so early," she said. "But I just wanted to apologize…I didn't bother you, did I?"

"Oh, no," I answered, shaking my head and opening the door wider. "Please. Come inside."

She stayed where she was. "I just wanted to say sorry and that -"

"Please, Bella," I pleaded. "It feels uncomfortable talking out here. Come inside. I promise I'll make you some coffee if you do."

She smiled slightly before walking past me into the apartment. I let a breath of relief before closing the door and motioning for her to sit on the sofa. "Do you like anything in your coffee?" I asked but she shook her head as she sat down on the cushions.

"Just black," she muttered.

Making the hot drinks wasn't that hard since I'd already put the machine on and it was ready by the time I got back to the kitchen. Bella was watching the news channel on the television when I handed the cup to her. She thanked me before taking a small sip and then holding it in her lap as I sat beside her. There was a silence between us, just the news reporters' monotone voice droning in the background. I desperately wanted to say something to break the awkward quiet but I also knew that she had to start. So I waited until she finally opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry," she started in a whisper. "For Friday night, I mean. I acted like a…an idiot. I was so wasted it was crazy. God, you must think I'm a moronic drunk."

I chuckled at her words, putting my coffee aside. "No," I said. "I don't think you're a moronic drunk. But I do think you were a little crazy that night."

She groaned, hiding her face with her hair. Reaching out, I pushed her hair behind her ear, smiling softly when her surprised eyes met mine. "I just wish you would tell me why you were drinking so much," I murmured.

Bella bit her lip again, as if she was trying to figure out if she should tell me or not. "It's kind of a long story," she whispered.

With that, I reached over and turned the television off, settling myself into the couch and turning back towards her. "I've got time," I insisted.

Licking her lips, she sighed and put her cup aside to take a deep breath and then she started talking. "Well, like I told you before, I used to live in Phoenix with my parents until I decided to look for a job and my own place." She had told me about her life before Seattle during our lunch dates but she never told me how she really got the job at Cityspace.

"Anyway, my father knew the Newton family from way back when and he pulled a few strings to get me an interview at Cityspace Software here in Seattle. It was perfect. I mean the city was so alive and the job was so great. Even my grandma lived here, in the apartment I live in now, which she left to me after she died a few years ago." She frowned, probably thinking of her grandmother.

"Everything was going so great. But I should have noticed what was happening a soon as Mike started giving me all these crazy promotions for no reason. In about a year I was promoted from the mailroom to Mike's PA. I should have stopped and thought about it but I was just so excited that I was getting higher up in the company. I was getting higher pay and benefits so why should I question it? I deserved it…at least that's what I thought at the time."

She sighed, squeezing her eyes closed. "A few weeks after I got the new PA job (which I wasn't qualified for, I might add) Mike became more…personal. He started to come to my desk a lot more, talking to me all the time and then he started asking me to go out for drinks after work. I knew he had a wife so I always told him no but he just came back a few days later and asked again." She snorted. "I mean, even if he was single I wouldn't have gone out with him."

I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. There was that inkling that she was attracted to him but I was very relived to hear she didn't like him at all. "Bella," I murmured. "Why didn't you do something about it? Tell him no?"

"I made it obvious that I wasn't interested," she told him. "He just didn't listen."

"Then you should quit."

She put her head in hands. "You don't understand," she cried. "I can't lose this job! No one else will hire a high school graduate for a PA!" She looked up at him. "You know how much money it costs to live here, don't you? I need this job, Ted."

"Bella," I started. "This job isn't worth you being harassed by your boss."

She sighed in annoyance, rubbing her temples and looking away from me. "You just don't understand," she said. "Besides, he's kind of backing off now…a little. It was just Friday night…he scared me."

That caught my attention. I grabbed her shoulders, turning her to look at me. "Did he hurt you, Bella?" I demanded. "Did he touch you?" I would kill him if he had laid one finger on her…

She shook her head. "He just came up to me at the bar when Alice was in the bathroom," she muttered, her gaze avoiding mine again. "He was drunk, obviously, but he kept asking me why I didn't want to date him. And then…well he told me he'd make sure I went out with him sometime. It just freaked me out a little…That's when Lauren came over and they went off together." She met my eyes. "I think he's cheating on his wife, Ted."

I nodded; not even finding it in myself to look shocked at her last bit of news. I was just so angry with the son of a bitch. Letting go of her shoulders, I clenched my hands into fists on my lap, glaring at the far wall. He scared Bella so much that she decided to drink herself happy again. Fucking dirty, cocksucker. He was going to die by my hands.

"Ted?"

Her gentle hand on my shoulder broke me out of murder plans. "Ted," she murmured soothingly. Still I didn't look at her. I didn't want her to see the dangerous anger flickering in my eyes. That would scare her even more.

But she put her soft hand on my cheek, turning my face to look at her concerned brown eyes. "It's all right," she whispered. I could have laughed at that. Wasn't I supposed to be the one who told her it was all going to be all right? She was pursued by some disgusting, dickwad and here she was calming me down. The woman would never fail to surprise me.

Moving closer to her, I took her face in my hands, rubbing my thumbs over her soft cheeks and staring into her brown eyes. She was just so beautiful and special to me that it killed me to know she was suffering. "I don't want you to get hurt," I whispered to her.

She smiled sadly at me. "I'm not going to get hurt," she murmured. But there she was wrong. I was going to hurt her. Hurt her a lot when she finally finds about who I really was. At that moment, while I held her perfect face in my hands, I wanted to let everything lose. I wanted to tell her about my whole life starting from the day I was born. I wanted to share all my likes and dislikes and let her know everything. But I knew that if I told her it all…she would be devastated. I'd lied in the biggest way. And like that terrible television show where the woman accused her boyfriend of lying about his identity, she'd probably throw a chair at me. Both physically and emotionally. She would hate me and I was too weak to go through the pain of letting her go.

Instead of telling her I leaned forward and caught her lips with mine. She was surprised at first but gave in after a moment and kissed me back with just as much fervor. We kissed for a long while, tasting the coffee on her tongue and loving the small sounds she made as my hand ran along her thigh. I lifted her legs over my lap, pressing us closer as she ran her hands through my hair. I loved the feel of her nails scraping gently against my scalp. Apparently my hair was just as sensitive as the other part of my anatomy that was enjoying our touching and kissing immensely.

Suddenly, as my fingers brushed the exposed skin between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her pants, I needed to be closer. I needed skin on sweaty skin contact. I needed to be surrounded by her both physically and emotionally. I tugged at her shirt and she broke away from me, allowing me to pull it over her head. It was discarded as I tossed it over my shoulder, covering her mouth with mine again. My hands explored the hot skin of her back and stomach before gently pushing her down until she lying on the couch, my body hovering over hers. I just couldn't get enough of her. I couldn't stop kissing, touching and just feeling her body against mine.

Breaking the kiss again, I pulled away to yank my shirt off before returning to press my naked skin against hers. My lips traveled along her jaw, down her neck and across her collarbone. Her breathing became faster as I nuzzled between her breasts, annoyed to come into contact with her bra. But I knew, through my lust filled haze, that if her bra came off there would be no stopping me from taking her completely.

Lifting my head, I looked up into her heavy lidded eyes. "Are you sure?" I asked her, my voice low.

She answered me by bringing my lips back to hers. I groaned in pleasure but as she reached back to pull off her bra, I stopped her. I wanted to do that but I didn't want to do it on my sofa. If I was going to make love to her, I wanted it to be in my bed where I could easily reach every part of her body to worship without fearing she'd fall off. This would be our first time together and I wanted to be able to wake up comfortably with her beside me where we could make love again. This would not be a one-time thing.

She looked confused and a little hurt as I stood up but that smile came back to her face when I held out my hand to her. I pulled her to her feet before kissing her again. She squealed in surprise when I swept her off her feet and into my arms before stumbling towards my bedroom, kicking the door closed behind us. We didn't come out for the rest of the day.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Phew! Excuse me while I fan myself. Yes, I do realize I told you guys I would be updating more this summer and it ain't been so. But…okay I don't have an excuse. I hope the lime made up for it. BUT since I'm going to college in about a month I will have a bit more time…I guess. I have a three-day weekend and two days where I have four hours between my classes. May as well just sit in the campus library and type up stories on my laptop for a few hours (which is a Macbook, I might add. AWESOME!) Maybe I'll pick up the smart college boys in the library…or I could hang around the fire and police academy classes…hmmm…


	7. Chapter 7

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

* * *

Inhaling deeply, I woke to an amazing smell. _Strawberries, _my mind whispered as I hummed in appreciation. The shift of something in my arms made me slowly open my eyes…and then blink to make sure I really was awake. My eyes had been met with a mess of brown hair, which had been the source of that wonderful fruity scent. The thing that had been shifting in my arms was a woman. My woman. Bella. I smiled, liking the sound of that, and buried my nose into her long chestnut locks.

As soon as I realized it was her, my arms tightened around her naked body and pulled her close to my equally naked chest, snuggling further under the blankets. There was a reason we had to get out of bed but at that moment I couldn't figure out what it was. I was too busy running my hands along the soft skin of Bella's side and reveling in her warm body pressed intimately against mine.

After last night (or yesterday) I should have been totally worn out but that pressing need to have her again was already starting. Waking up next to your woman after a long, hot night of continuous lovemaking did crazy things to a man's libido. Basically the cure for a tired woman after sex was more sex, from a man's point of view. It wasn't good to admit but I was a man and having her beside me tempted me to wake her and repeat what had happened the day before. What could I say? I was young and my body was still in prime condition. Like a lot of men, usually one part of my anatomy ruled the rest and it was doing it's best to let my brain know exactly what it wanted.

Bella however had different plans, as she was still deeply asleep. I could feel her chest moving up in down in slow breaths under my arm, which I had carelessly thrown over her body sometime in the night. She didn't exactly know about the internal fight that was going on inside me. But as I stared down at her sleeping face, I made myself roll away from her and sit up on the other side of the bed. Rubbing my face, I tried to calm down, keeping my back to her naked form that was barely covered by the blankets we'd tossed every which way. As I thought about that, memories of the day and night before came back to me making me hot again.

"Stop it," I hissed out loud.

I didn't want Bella to think I was just in for the sex, even though the sex was earth shatteringly good. I did actually want to keep her with me to talk to her, laugh with her and just hold her sometimes. And then I remembered all the lies I had told her. My libido wilted at the thought, knowing it was only a matter of time until she left and never came back. That thought did an odd thing to my chest, making it ache as if it were…empty.

Bella murmured something behind me and I reflexively began to turn to look at her roll over. But as my head swiveled my eyes caught sight of the digital clock on my bedside table. So that was why I had woken. It was the usual time I got up for work. My body clock must have become used to getting up so it had roused me at the correct time. And it was a weekday meaning we had to work so I was lucky. I sighed, knowing I'd have to wake Bella because she also had to get to work and to that jackass.

Thinking about Mike Newton made my fists clench and my body tense in anger. How dare he even come near her! I felt the need to strangle not only his wife but also my 'boss'. They both were assholes and they seemed to deserve one another. So once I found the evidence against Lauren, and Bella was free of Jessica's threats, they could either get back together or make some other person of the opposite sex suffer. If I killed them both there wouldn't be any more trouble. But then I would be a murderer and unable to stay with Bella. No. That meant the murder plan was out. I just had to get Bella out of the line of fire and then forget about the Newton's and move on with Bella. That is if she wanted to move on with me.

I rubbed my face again to wake myself up before stretching, letting out a long yawn and getting to my feet. The morning sun was hidden behind the blinds but slices of bright light cut across the floor and bed, thankfully not anywhere near where my head had been. I'd have got an eyeful of sunshine if it did. I passed the window, opting not to open them when I woke Bella. As I stepped around the bed, I found my discarded shorts on the floor where I'd tossed them. Pulling them on, I decided to brush my teeth before getting Bella up. I didn't want to wake her with smelly breath. That'd be really attractive. So I scrubbed my teeth until I was sure my breath smelled of mint before going back into my room.

She'd turned over on to her stomach and was still sleeping soundly. The blanket covered from the small of her back to her knees where she tangled the sheets between her legs. Everything else was on display. Taking a deep breath, I told myself not to jump her. Instead, I sat down beside her and softly brushed the hair away from her face. "Bella," I whispered. She stirred but didn't open her eyes. "Wake up," I urged, running my hand down the curve of her bare back.

She smiled suddenly and hummed happily, her eyes finally blinking open to look at me. "Good morning," she sighed in her sleep voice.

I grinned in response. "Good morning," I murmured, leaning in to kiss her temple. "How was your sleep?"

"Perfect," she said. "Just wish it had lasted longer."

"Sorry," I answered with an apologetic smile. "Reality likes to get into the way."

I leaned closer, trying to kiss her but she pulled away. My face must have shown my confusion and slight hurt because she bit her lip and explained quickly.

"My breath must stink," she said. "I can't kiss you like this." She sat up, covering her body with the blanket and shuffled away from me. I smirked at her before crawling closer. She kept moving backwards, clutching the sheet around her and glaring at me but I could see the smile she was fighting to keep hidden.

"Does it look like I care?" I asked, tugging on the blanket playfully.

She gripped it tighter. "Don't come any closer, mister," she stated. "We don't have time for this." She glanced at the clock and suddenly fell off the bed in shock.

"Woah!" I cried, jumping over to help her as she lay in a heap on the floor. "Are you all right?"

"We're going to be late!" she snapped, standing on wobbly legs. "I need to get back to my apartment…Alice! Oh God! What am I going to tell her? Where are my clothes?" She ran around the room, giving me a very nice view as she bent down to grab her clothes. She'd only managed to have the sheet cover the front part of her body so her perfect ass was on full display. Those memories of the night before came flying back and I was hot again. I swallowed heavily as she jumped around pulling on her clothes. She was having trouble doing up her bra so I helped her snap it into place. She mumbled a thanks and pulled on her shirt. "Maybe…maybe I could just tell her we talked for the whole day and then fell asleep."

"Err…" I stated, feeling a little put out that she wanted to hide our activities from her friend. Were we not a couple doing couple things now? "You might not be able to pull off that." I pointed to the mirror. She looked and gasped at her mussed hair. "That may have been my fault," I admitted with a grin.

"God!" she cried trying to finger-comb her hair. "I have to go and get ready." Suddenly she jumped out the room and started for the front door.

"Wait! Bella!" I exclaimed, running after her. I grabbed just as she reached the front hall. She turned to face me with a frazzled look. "We're still…walking together, right?" Bella nodded quickly and went for the door again but I yanked her back to me. She fell against my chest. "I forgot to give you something," I muttered before capturing her mouth with mine. I didn't care if her breath smelled bad; I still loved kissing her.

Apparently she wasn't ready for it because she looked slightly dazed when she finally made it out the door and into the elevator. As soon as I closed the door I was racing to clean myself up and eat something before running down to her place to walk to work together.

It's amazing how sex can make your day so much better. The amazing (and multiple) releases' energized me. I usually hated getting up early but after the day before…I'd never felt more ready to confront that ass Newton. I wanted to give him a piece of my mind about what he was doing to Bella but then I realized that if I did that then I could ruin everything. My plan was to get Bella away from Newton forever. If I told him off, he'd fire me and then continue on with his booty hunt. I was not going to take the risk. I needed to get him to feel trapped and caught in the act. Once I finally got the evidence for Jessica he'd be so busy trying to calm her the Hell down that I might be able to convince Bella that she needed to leave the company. We'd start somewhere new. Anywhere she wanted to go. Just the two of us…

Walking to work with Bella wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. I thought she'd be blushing like crazy and trying to do everything to keep us off the topic of what happened the day before. It seemed that after she had time to clean herself up she was all over me. She greeted me with a lingering kiss when I knocked on her door and then she clutched my hand the whole walk.

Our conversation was normal too, about how she had to bring Alice to airport later that night. Her friend hadn't prodded Bella about where she was the night before but she knew that it would come up soon enough. Apparently they were going to dinner before Alice left. That meant I couldn't see Bella tonight. She saw my fallen face and smiled sadly. "Sorry," she apologized.

I shook my head and forced a smile on my face. "No," I said. "It's fine. I think I got enough of you yesterday, anyway." That was a pure lie since I'd never have enough of her. I had been looking forward to spending the night in bed with her beside me. I liked waking up to her…

We parted at the elevators and kissed quickly as she ran for the cab that was headed up. I literally skipped down the stairs and into the mailroom, the grin never leaving my face. I was finally a satisfied man and Emmett seemed to notice. He gave me a rough slap on the back when he saw me. It must be that every man who recently had sex has a sort of look on his face. Emmett seemed to understand. That kind of release does crazy things to a guy.

My sex high didn't break until after lunch. Bella and I went out after collecting the lunches for the rest of the office. She'd picked a small café that we'd frequented quite a lot. Myself, being a man, offered to take her back to my apartment but she'd stopped that, claiming that we'd never make it back for work. She was right of course, so instead I had to go through the torture of watching her eat some pastry and lick chocolate off her fingers for almost an hour. When in the Hell did my pants become so tight? I would have probably broken one of my most important parts if she continued any longer. Luckily I was granted one make out session in the nearby park before we walked back to the building. Fucking tease knew what she was doing to me…and I loved it.

But there was a job to do and Newton reminded me of that when I caught him getting too close to Bella for my liking. He was yelling at her when I reached the floor with my cart full of mail. Immediately, I saw red and pictured myself snapping his neck like a twig. Bella's eyes went to mine and I could see the fright in them. I didn't even think. I just moved in between the two, shielding Bella's body with mine. Newton's beady eyes looked up at me, sneer included. "What are you doing Cullen?" he demanded.

"Back off," I said slowly. He didn't move so I stepped towards him. "I said, back…the fuck…off."

"Who the Hell do you think you are?" he growled.

I was ready to punch his ugly face in but Bella's hand on my arm stopped me. She grabbed my face and forced me to look into her brown eyes. She hushed my gently, brushing the hair away from my eyes. I could see the concern and fear for me in her eyes. She didn't want me to get hurt. I squeezed my eyes closed and breathed deeply for a moment before I was finally able to calmly turn back to Newton who was watching the whole exchange with narrowed eyes.

"Office romances' are strictly off limits," he stated. Hypocrite. I didn't answer him and soon he grew wary. "If I see anything like this again…you will be fired, Cullen. Mark my words. Get back to work." And then he turned and stomped away like a toddler.

"You know that he's just scared of what you'll do if her fires you, right?" Bella whispered. "But he'll get up the nerve soon enough."

I snorted and turned back to her. "Then leave. Leave with me. We can both quit and find someplace new."

She smiled sadly at me. "Are you suggesting I run away with you?"

"Well how about it?" I asked.

She laughed. "It just sounds so teenage-like. The Rebel Kids," she said with another small smile. She kissed my chin gently and walked back to her desk. "I'll see you after work."

Sighing in annoyance I went about my work and delivered the mail throughout the floor. When I was finally done, I had a few minutes left until the day was over. My eyes found Newton's open office door. It was empty. He was out somewhere else. I didn't know when he'd be back but it was the only chance I had to plant my camera.

Making sure that no one was watching, I slipped into his office and went to his desk. He'd thrown his suit jacket over the chair and I spotted the American flag pin he always wore. Too easy, I thought as a switched the pin with my own that included a tiny camera and microphone. All thanks to Seth again. The geek had created it all himself. He'd watched too many spy films and the regular camera was always put in a flag pin attached to a coat. Again, it fed the footage and sound to my laptop. Hopefully, I'd catch Mike and Lauren on this and Jessica would believe me.

It all seemed too easy as I slipped back out and joined the throng of people heading for the elevator. Bella met me there, smiling at me and making me grin in return. As the cab doors closed I watched Newton walk out of his office with his jacket on. So far everything was going to plan.

The walk back to the apartment building was fast since Bella and Alice had dinner reservations at some fancy restaurant. She apologized profusely and promised to make it up to me but I told her not to worry. I was already planning something for the next night anyway. She grinned at me as the elevator stopped at her floor. "I can't wait," she said, kissing me deeply before running off to her apartment and leaving me alone in the elevator with the taste of her lips still on mine.

When I got home I went straight to work, flipping on my laptop and throwing those annoying glasses I had to wear on the coffee table. It was a wonder that Bella didn't mention them before. I hadn't worn them at all yesterday…but then again she'd been otherwise occupied. I couldn't help but grin when I thought about that. But there was no time to fantasize about her. I had a job to do and that was to keep her safe.

The camera and microphone had worked just fine. It had recorded and sent over all the information I needed. Damn it I could kiss that little geek of mine. What would I do without Seth?

The footage started as I walked out of Mike's office. I watched myself leave the room and just as suddenly as I'd left, Newton walked in. He pulled on his jacket and got himself ready to leave the office. The camera tracked his path to the elevator and down into the lobby of the building before Mike started his walk home. By this time, he'd pulled out his phone and was dialing someone's number. The first word out of his mouth incriminated him. "Lauren," he barked into the phone. "I don't care if you're busy. Meet me at the Kings, right now." I realized that the Kings was a very fancy hotel and apparently Mike had a continuous booking for one room for very such occasions. The staff greeted him as if he was their own boss and of course he brushed them off. He was a man on a mission, it seemed. And it was quite a mission he had.

I was a man so I had to admit that I did enjoy porn, especially as a teenager, but watching Mike and Lauren go at it on the camera...God, it was enough to make the toughest man ill. Newton had stupidly dropped his jacket on one of the hotel chairs where it gave the camera a perfect view of the bed that was now tainted. I swore that I'd never go to the Kings hotel. I would not take the chance of getting that same room. Disgusting. But necessary, it seemed. I need to make sure this was the piece of evidence that would get Jessica off our backs for good. She had the visual and the sound. She couldn't deny that it was her husband fucking her best friend. I should have felt sympathy for the pain it would cause Jessica but somehow that feeling evaded me.

I made sure to skim the most important parts of the video (close to losing my lunch the whole time) before saving it to my computer. Then I opened my e-mail and, taking a deep breath, sent the video to Jessica. As soon as it was off into inter-space, I closed the computer and breathed easily. Soon it would all be over and Bella would be safe once again. My eyes went to the clock and I was surprised at the late time. I'd spent a good few hours looking through that grotesque video. Now it was time to go to bed and try not to think about Mike's terrible performances skills.

I was glad to see Bella the next morning, taking her hand in mine and walking leisurely to work. She was a bit tired and I couldn't help but ask her what had happened to her. She and her friend had had dinner the night before at some fancy restaurant that Alice had picked out. Bella hadn't enjoyed the food since it was a steak the size of a nickel with two heated carrots and a whole lot of sauce. Not worth the money Alice had insisted on paying. She said it was only fair since Bella had let her stay in her apartment. Of course the nosy pixie had brought up their night together. Bella had told her they had talked the whole night and she had accidently fallen asleep. Whether Alice bought the excuse, she didn't know.

She had dropped her friend off at the airport an hour after their dinner, hugging a tearful pixie before heading home to go to bed. At five in morning, however, Bella's phone rang. Apparently Alice had gone home to New York on a plane and had met someone during the flight. The pixie couldn't wait to tell Bella all about the 'hunky, smooth-talking Texan cowboy' she'd sat next to the whole flight home. He'd asked her out when they got off the plane at four in the morning in the Big Apple. She had accepted and was going out to dinner with him later that day.

I couldn't help but chuckle when Bella yawned. "You know, if you don't want to go out tonight, we don't have to," I started but she cut me off with a look.

"No," she said. "There is no way that you're getting out of going out tonight! Have you picked where we're going?"

"I thought I'd let you pick," I said with a grin. "Only seems fair since you were subjected to the horror of last nights dinner."

She smiled, which was what I was looking for, before thinking. "Okay," she finally answered. "I want to go Mickey's."

I was surprised at her answer. Mickey's was an old Irish pub, which sold mainly burgers, chips and beer. Maybe the night with Alice had turned her off fancy restaurants for life. Whatever reason she had, I didn't care. Mickey's was a favorite of mine. "All right," I said as we walked into the Cityspace building. "We'll go to Mickey's. But I'm choosing where we're going after."

She looked at me curiously, her brow raised slightly. "Should I be worried?" she asked.

I grinned, pushing her towards the elevator. "Don't you worry," I called. "You'll like it! I promise."

The hours seemed to drag on forever. As the day went on I began to second-guess my choice of the after dinner entertainment. Would she really like what I had chosen? I didn't know but there was no way that I'd ask her and ruin the surprise. I just had to hope.

At the end of the day I was about ready to burst with excitement and nerves. I was glad to say that I had avoided Newton the whole day and nothing seemed different. Had Jessica not checked her e-mail yet? I could have called her and asked but I found myself unable to dial the number. It was like going back into a past I'd rather leave behind. If she called me then I would talk to her. But there was no way that I would talk to her again of my own free will.

Bella was waiting for me at her desk. She asked if there was time to go back to her apartment and change. I agreed and we walked back to the apartment building. She badgered me the whole way, trying to get my surprise out of me. But I stayed strong, even when she tried seducing it out of me. Her fingers in my hair did crazy things to my mind, making me close to giving it all up. But we had been walking at that point and she had distracted herself into almost falling flat on her face. Catching her before she fell had brought me out of my haze and back into control.

After going to our own apartments to clean up, we headed for Mickey's pub. It was the dinner rush hour by the time we got there. The bar was loud with chatter and laughter, a soccer game playing in the background. Mickey's was a small place on the corner of a very busy Seattle street. There was a long bar at the back where the employees poured the drinks and a swinging door behind that into the kitchen. A rowdy bunch of men were sitting at the bar, knocking back pints and joking about the game shown on the television above their heads. Sitting at the table closest to the bar was a group of women who were whispering and shooting glances at the beer-drinking guys. Judging by what they were wearing, I was sure that they were looking for more than a drink. Throughout the rest of the pub were couples, friends and even solitary people just drinking their woes away. It was saddening to see that kind of suffering but I had to remind myself that this night was about Bella. And I was going to make it fun for her.

We chose a spot in a corner but it was difficult to talk when there were already so many people having conversations around us. I had to raise my voice for her to hear me over the talk, the television announcers and the loud rock music in the background. But she was smiling so I decided that she didn't mind the noise. And it was so beautiful to see her laughing. It was contagious and I found myself laughing with her at the stupidest things. God, I felt like a teenager again.

I was surprised to find Bella ordering a beer and burger like me. She merely shrugged at my questioning look as the waitress walked away. "I need more than a nickel sized piece of meat to satisfy me," she shouted.

I grinned and leaned closer, motioning for her to do the same. "So I'm guessing I'm the whole cow?" I said in her ear. She gasped and looked at me before bursting into laughter. Again she made me laugh too. But the thing that I noticed was that she didn't deny it. My ego inflated a little.

It was a wonder to watch Bella demolish her burger and chips, draining the bottle of beer as if she did it everyday. And yet she had the most amazing figure I'd ever seen. How the hell did she do it? This woman would never stop surprising me. She caught me staring and took another swig from her beer. "Close your mouth!" she shouted. "You're catching flies!" And my mouth had been hanging open. I closed it quickly and she laughed again. I would never get tired of hearing that sound.

Halfway through our dinner another rowdy group of men showed up. "Hey!" one of them bellowed, reminding me of Emmett. Everyone stopped and stared at him as he threw his arm drunkenly around one of his buddies and raised his pint in the air. "I'd…I'd like to say congrats to my man Tim! Cause he's gettin' married tomorrow!" The crowd broke out into applause as the groom turned red. His friend stumbled slightly against the bar before going on. "So…so congrats Timmy! But drink up! This is your last night of freedom, bud! And we've got more bars to get to tonight! Woo!"

"All right!" the bartender snapped. "Off with now! I don't want you passing out on my property."

The men laughed loudly and stumbled out of the pub, the groom still red in the face and the most sober of them all. Just wait until the next day. All his groomsmen would definitely be hungover. Not so good a wedding. His future wife wouldn't be too happy.

Bella laughed as the crowd went back to talking. "Imagine what that wedding's going to be like," she said.

"Not so good," I answered with a grin as she smiled.

After we had finished our meal (and I had won the argument over who was going to pay for it) we headed out and down the street. The sun had set and there was a small chill to the air. I decided that it was my job to keep her warm so I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, tucking her safely into my side. She smiled and snuggled closer making my ego grow even more. I was sure that by the end of the night my head would look like a hot air balloon.

"So…" she started and I already knew what was coming. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"Nope," I chuckled. "You'll just have to wait."

"But I'm impatient," she whined and I laughed, kissing her hair and walking the rest of the way in a comfortable silence.

The building I stopped at was a place that used to be a disco back in the day. Now it was a club that hosted different events and people like comedians and bands. Bella looked confused as we walked inside but as soon as she saw the stage and the posters proclaiming it 'Cover Band Night' she smiled. "You're kidding me," she laughed.

I shrugged. "I saw it in the paper a few days ago," I admitted. "Hope you like eighties music."

She grinned, taking my face in her hands and kissing me. "You know I do!" Then she pulled me toward a table that had a good view of the stage.

So we spent the next few hours in the club, listening to the cover bands that went from one memorable eighties song to another. I got myself another beer and a more fruity drink for Bella, making her tipsy and a little louder when she cheered. Realizing she was close to getting drunk again, I got her a glass of water, hoping it would calm her. She drank it all and quieted down, merely clapping for the bands now. She really was adorable when she was tipsy, but I wanted her sober when I took her home. There was only one way that I wanted this night to end and that was in my bed with her beside me.

After the last band signed off and the crowd gave a round of applause for them all, Bella and I stood to go. She was very talkative as we walked home, my arm around her shoulders and hers around my waist. Still a little tipsy but another glass of water would bring her brain back into control. Alice was right. Bella could not hold her booze well.

We started down the street that led to not only our apartments but also the Cityspace office building. No one would be there at this time in the night but the streets were flooded with people going to and from events, bars and clubs. The further we got from the office building, the less people we met. It was nearly deserted by the time we reached our building. But before we could walk up the steps and into the lobby, I noticed someone stumbling down the street.

"Is that…Mike?" Bella asked, squinting to make out the dark profile. "And Lauren?"

So it was. Newton was drunkenly walking down the street towards us, Laruen running after him and fretting. I could hear her saying how stupid he was for drinking so much and that she wanted to go home. But he ignored her. Instead, he continued to walk towards us until he'd almost run into Bella. I pulled her out of the way and behind me as Mike tripped but righted himself at the last moment. He snorted with laughter and I felt Bella's fingers gripping my jacket in fear. This was not a Mike that you wanted to see. He was dangerous as a drunk.

"Bella!" he laughed, stumbling to his feet again. I felt Bella cringe behind me when he called her name. "Bella! Why're you hiding? Come on…come on out here!" His words were slurred, signaling that he was well and truly drunk.

"Go home, Mike," I stated darkly.

He looked up at me with blood shot eyes. He seemed confused at first before the anger took over. "Bella!" he shouted. "Come here. I wanna see you. Right now or…or you're fired." He snorted with laughter again. Lauren came up to him, touching his arm and suggesting they go back to her place. He shoved her away. She stumbled in surprise and fell to the sidewalk with a thud.

"What the fuck is a matter with you?" I questioned in disgust, actually feeling sorry for Lauren. She was obviously embarrassed as she stood and dusted her short dress off.

"What's the matter with me?" Mike asked. "What's the matter with you? Better yet…" He stepped to the left, trying to see Bella around me. I stepped the same way, still shielding her with my body. "What's the matter with Bella, huh? I mean…why'd she like you?" He turned his attention to the woman behind me again. "Did he fuck you good, Bella?" he shouted. I heard her whimper in fright and my anger began to escalate again. "Is his dick big enough for you, you slut?"

That was it. I stepped towards the ass, grabbed his shirt collar and lifted him right off his feet. His eyes went wide with surprise as I glared at him. "Fuck. Off." I snarled. "Or I won't stop myself from ripping your head from your fucking shoulders." I dropped him, watching as he staggered backwards before turning and going back to Bella who was pale white with fear.

Suddenly I heard Lauren cry, "No Mike, don't!" and then he hit me from behind. The force of his weight made me fall forwards, skinning my palms against the sidewalk. I grunted as I hit the ground but didn't just lie there in pain. I spun around, pushing him off me. He fell to the ground but pushed himself to his feet. He came for me again when I was on my feet but I was ready. My fist connected with his face and I watched in pleasure as the blood spurted out from his nose. Mike stumbled backwards before falling to the sidewalk, finally unable to move.

Lauren went to his side, fretting over his face as he moaned on the ground. How she could still care when he'd pushed her away was beyond me.

"Oh my God, Ted!" Bella cried, grabbing my face. "Are you all right?"

I realized my palms had started to bleed and Bella was freaking out about it. "I'm fine," I said, a little out of breath from all the excitement. "I'm fine."

She sighed in relief, wrapping her arms around me. I buried my face into her hair, just glad that I was the one that had been hurt rather than her. If Mike had touched her in anyway…I looked over at the disgusting asshole that was still crying on the ground, holding his nose as the blood gushed out. Lauren was freaking out, confused as of what to do. I didn't care anymore.

Suddenly I heard a police siren coming closer. Looking up I noticed the car driving quickly down the street, lights flashing. It stopped at the curb in front of us and the loud siren was finally turned off.

"Lauren called the police," Bella informed me. "She was freaking out."

"She still is," I said, wondering how I'd explain it all to the officer. It looked pretty bad for me but I was sure I'd be able to wangle my way out of it. I knew all the guys on the police team. They'd have my back in the matter.

And then the man stepped out of the car.

"Shit," I hissed.

James Hunter. The worst cop in the city. The worst cop meaning he didn't like me. Actually he hated me with a passion. He believed I was taking advantage of the police whenever I asked for info on a person who was my target. He believed I just played around with the officers so I could use them, which wasn't true. I enjoyed spending time with the guys. They really were like friends to me. James just didn't understand that.

He strode around the front of the cop car leisurely, his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. "So we meet again," he chuckled.

I grimaced as he grinned. "Meet again?" Bella asked, confused and looking to me for answers. "What does he mean, Ted?"

James' eyebrow raised when she called me my undercover name. "Nothing," I whispered. "We knew each other once."

"Once?" James snorted as he stepped up on to the sidewalk. "So…what's going on here…Ted?" He smirked when he said the name and I hated him even more. I wanted to do the same thing I'd done to Mike to his smarmy face.

"He attacked this man, officer!" Lauren wailed from where she was still trying to help Mike.

James turned to look at them as if he had just noticed they were there. "Is that so?" he asked, looking at me again.

"That's not true!" Bella piped up. "Ted was acting in self defense!"

"I dunno about that," James said as he leaned over a moaning Mike. "This one's pretty banged up." He turned his gaze to me. "This one…ain't so much."

"It was self defense!" Bella cried. "Check his hands!"

"No," James sighed. "No, I think I understand what happened here." He strolled over to where Bella and I were standing. "Hold out your hands."

I did so after a moment of hesitation, my palms up, believing he wanted to see the scrapes. But instead he grabbed my wrist, twisted it around to my back and handcuffed me. "You have the right to remain silent," he started off. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

"This is ridiculous!" Bella cried but James just ignored her and went on with his speech. I knew he'd been dying to say it to me for years.

"You have the right to speak to an attorney," he went on, pushing me towards the car. "If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you." He pushed me down on to the hood of the cruiser, pressing my face against the cold metal. He was making it worse for me, I thought as he checked my pockets. "Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

"Yes," I growled.

"Yes what?" he taunted, pressing my face harder against the hood.

"Yes…officer," I snarled.

"Good," he answered, pulling me back up before leading me towards the back door of the cruiser. Bella was still demanding to know why I was being arrested but James continued to ignore her. Instead he opened the door and shoved me inside, making sure I hit my head of the roof in the process. That dick, I thought as he slammed the door.

"Tell me why he's being arrested!" Bella screamed at him when he walked right past her. "You have no right!"

"Baby," James said as he opened the driver's side door. "Take it up with my boss when you get the time." He winked and I saw red.

There were no more words exchanged as James got into the car and started it up. I watched Bella's stricken face as we drove away until the cruiser turned the corner and she was out of sight. "You sure do know how to pick 'em," James laughed. "Quite the little tiger, isn't she? Bet she's killer in bed."

"Fuck off, James," I snapped.

"And when she called you 'Ted'!" he sniggered. "God, I can't wait to see her face when she finds out about who you really are. Classic!"

I stayed silent for the rest of ride, just picturing that face and drowning in the sorrow of knowing that I was going to lose her.

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**Authors Note**

This is the second last chapter, ladies! Only one more left until this story is over. Then we will be moving on the Cowboyward story. Are you excited? Good because you should be. It's going to be good. I've finished the first chapter already. Exciting! More exciting is that it's only a few weeks until my college starts up! There is an orientation week that includes a concert with bands like Down With Webster and Lights on campus! Ahh! I'm so excited! Plus I have a trip to Florida coming up soon where I'll be going to see the Harry Potter world! And I'll be taking my Macbook with me to type up some stuff on the plane and at the airport. Should finish this story before school starts up. Hopefully. So comment me and I'll be sure to start the next chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

_**WARNING: The following story contains violence, coarse language and mature subject matter. Readers discretion is advised.**_

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Twilight, so please don't sue!

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The jail cell made me feel trapped inside myself. My pacing didn't seem to help, but I couldn't stop myself from walking back and forth behind the bars that kept me where I was.

The place where I had been taken after being processed was dank, dirty and smelled of sweaty drunks, like the man who was passed out in the cell across from mine. The florescent lights that lit the corridor between the few cells located at the back of the police station building, was the only light. The tiny windows six feet off the ground (complete with bars) gave no light. It must have been very early in the morning since the sky was still dark. I raised my arm, pulling back my sleeve to check the time when I realized they had taken my watch along with my wallet.

Groaning in embarrassment, I rested my forehead against the cold, metal bars of the cell door. The processing had been hell for me. James had strutted into the precinct, pushing me in front of him as if I were the prize kill for the day. The officers working in the station had watched in confusion as James proceeded to take my prints and start out my police file for me. My first offense would be assault. Wouldn't that look great on my spot clean record?

James had been ready to bring me before a judge but luckily the captain of the station had stepped in and decided I would be held until a bail was paid instead. He'd questioned me about what had happened after James was dismissed for the night and stomped away in anger. I told the chief everything that had happened and he seemed to believe me. He told me that I needed at least one witness to agree with my story and the first person that came to mind was Bella. But there was no way that I was getting her mixed up in all this. If I told them about her they would call her down to the station and she would most definitely find out who I really was.

"I don't know any of the witnesses," I muttered as we sat in the interrogation room.

"Well," the chief sighed, picking up the report James had given him. "It says here that there were two women at the scene. One of them was quite adamant about your release. Could she be able to help you out?" I stared at the bandage wrapped around my scraped palms instead of the man across the table from me, and shrugged noncommittally. The chief sighed before leaning towards me. "Edward," he murmured. "I'm trying to help you here, but you're not making it easy. Just tell us the girls name, we'll find her and she'll back up your claim for self defense."

I looked up into the old man's eyes. He was aging everyday with the graying hair and the wrinkles growing around his eyes from he stress of his job. I looked away again, unable to lie while looking at his kind and concerned face. "I don't know who she is," I muttered. That was the end of that conversation.

So then I was taken to my cell where I would wait until I could either come up with the name of the girl I apparently didn't know or pick someone to call for my bail money. Bella was immediately out of the picture for calling. There was no way that I was calling my parents either. My mother would have a heart attack if I called for the first time in months to tell her I needed to get bailed out of jail. I could try Seth but the kid didn't really have any money. He'd spent his last few hundred on a new gaming system that he told me would be the next big thing. His mother could pay it (and I'd pay her back) but for some reason I didn't want innocent Mrs. Clearwater showing up at a dirty place like the police station. Emmett may help me but then he also would find out about my real identity and probably beat the shit out of me for lying. So I was stuck. But I suppose this was what I got for lying to everyone I cared about.

I started pacing again from one dirty wall that smelled like piss to another dirty wall that smelled like puke. Either way I got what I deserved in this cell and in life. Karma really was a bitch.

Suddenly the door that led to the cellblock opened. I could hear the gate creaking and the snip of the key opening the lock. The sound of footsteps echoed off the cement walls, coming closer to the corner that would reveal who it was to me. An officer (was his name Garrett?) stepped around the corner, pointing towards my cell. "He's in that one, ma'am," he said respectfully. _Ma'am_?

And then she walked around the corner.

"Bella!" I cried, so relived to see her. "You're all right!"

She didn't answer me or say anything as she stopped in front of my cell. But she looked like hell. Her eyes were red rimmed with black bags hanging under them. Her hair was a crazy mess, almost like mine, and her shirt was wrinkled at bottom almost as if she'd been using it to…wipe her tears.

"Bella," I murmured softly, concerned. "What's wrong?" My hand reached through the bars towards her but she immediately jumped away.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped. I yanked my arm back into my cell quickly. "Just…don't." She looked at me then and my heart dropped at what I saw swimming in her eyes. Hurt, anger, embarrassment…and hate. Above all else, hate. She hated me. She'd found out.

"Fuck," I hissed, dropping my head. Taking a deep breath I looked up at her again and began my pleading. "Bella, you have to listen to me…"

"No, Ted," she said, shooting daggers at me with her eyes that were quickly filling with tears. Then she smiled and laughed without humor, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Oh sorry. I should call you your real name, shouldn't I?" She laughed again, staring straight at me. "No…Edward Masen," she spat, making me cringe. "I will not listen to what you have to say."

"Bella, please," I whispered.

"And you know what the funniest thing is about all this?" she went on, ignoring my pleas. "Is that I _would_ have listened to Ted Cullen. Because you know what? I liked him. I actually really, really liked him. Hell I may have even loved him!" My heart thumped when she said those words. She loved me? But then I realized it wasn't me that she loved. It was Ted. It was always Ted.

"But," I started. "But Ted is me, Bella. I was supposed to change who I was but I was myself with you. God, I couldn't be someone else with you! I couldn't do my job right because I…I really liked you, Bella. And I still do! All I ever thought about was us being together -"

"Oh, that's right!" she interrupted. "I meant to ask you. Was fucking me apart of the job or was it just a perk?"

I literally felt like she'd slapped me. I actually wished she did. I wished that she'd beat the shit out of me for what I'd done to her. I wished that once she kicked my ass she would tell me that she loved me. That she loved Edward and wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. But that wasn't going to happen. She hated me with a passion and I could see that I would never be forgiven in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling my eyes becoming wet with unshed tears. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Well you sure as hell did!" she shouted, the tears streaming down her face. "You know what? I should actually thank you. You made me realize what a complete and utter idiot I am for trusting you! Thanks for making me feel like shit, _Edward_. You did I really good job with that! You lying, cheating, manipulative bastard. I wish I'd never met you."

I felt like a stake had been plunged through my heart. Like Bella had killed me with her words. My body was shutting down without her love and I was growing desperate. I was like a man drowning in the sea. The darkness continued to suck me down but I could see her face above me. I cried out for her help but she just shook her head and walked away leaving me alone to die.

Bella rubbed her hands across her face again before inhaling deeply. "I'm going to leave now," she murmured before looking up at me with those cold eyes. Gone were the warm chocolate eyes I stared into while we made love. I had changed her to stone. "Good bye, Edward Masen." And then she turned on her heel and left.

"Bella!" I yelled. "Bella please wait! Bella! Please! I love you!"

She stopped at the corner, refusing to look at me. I took this as a good sign and started jabbering away again, hoping something would make her turn around and tell me she loved me again. "Bella, I love you! I can't live without you anymore! You're everything to me! Please," I cried before getting down on my knees inside my cell and gripping the bars until my hands were red. "I'm begging you. Please don't leave me. I love you so much it hurts….and I know. I know that you still love me." She flinched but still didn't turn. "You love me as much as I love you! Please don't leave me! Love me!"

There was a silence in the cellblock as I waited for her voice with bated breath. Slowly she turned her head slightly but didn't meet my eyes. "I did," she whispered and then walked away.

"Bella, please!" I screamed until the gate closed with a resounding clank and her footsteps faded.

Feeling numb I sat on the dirty cell floor and just stared at the place she had stood. She was gone. I had finally figured out that I loved her and she was gone. I'd lost the love of my life because I had been a complete dick. Everything had always been about my career but now…now everything was about the woman who refused to love me.

"That was some fucked up shit, my brother," the drunk burped from the other cell before passing out again.

I was silent for a moment before I finally lost my mind. Getting to my feet, I threw my whole body against the cement wall, just trying to feel something other than the numbness. The pain split through my shoulder and I hissed before slamming my palms against the bars and trying desperately to get myself out. I shook and kicked and punched with all my might but it just wouldn't budge. My hands started to bleed again and my shoulder was bruised badly by the time I stopped and fell to the ground against the wall. That was the place where I let out the real pain and agony of losing Bella. I cried like a fucking baby.

It must have been at least an hour later when the door to the jail cells opened again. I looked up from where I was sitting against the wall with my head in my bloody hands. The same officer as before came around the corner and walked right up to my cell. In his hands were my personal things they'd taken off of me. I heard the jingle of the keys before I saw him take them out of his back pocket. "What's going on?" I questioned in a voice that was still raw from all the shouting I'd done.

He put the key into the lock and yanked the door open after the loud click was heard. "You've got bail," the officer answered, waiting for me to get up and walk out.

I was instantly confused. "What?" I asked. "Wha…who did it?"

The cop sighed in annoyance. "Some woman," he answered. "Short. Brown hair. She said she was a witness and then she offered to pay your bail. So are you going or what?"

I was shocked to understand that Bella had paid my bail. She had stood up for me as a witness as well. But she told me she hated me and wished we'd never met. The action of her paying my bail was completely different from her hurtful comments. Could it be possible that she still loved or at least cared for me deep down in her heart? There was no other reason why she would even think of paying my bail. It wasn't cheap. That meant I had to see her to pay her back. My heart immediately lifted at that thought. I'd have to go to her apartment and give her the money. Maybe she'd hear me out!

I jumped to my feet and slipped out the cell. "Is she still here?" I asked him.

"Wha?" the officer sputtered, surprised at my mood change.

"The woman! Is she still here?" I demanded.

"No," he answered. "She left like an hour ago after paying your bail."

I ran my hands through my hair in exasperation and the cop noticed my wounds. "Woah!" he crowed. "What'd you do to your hands?"

"Doesn't matter," I said. "Why wasn't I let out an hour ago?"

The cop looked sheepish. "There was a lot of paper work to fill out…"

"Paper work?" I shouted, feeling totally out of my mind. "Are you kidding me? This is my life we're talking about!"

"Okay, okay!" he cried. "It wasn't only paper work. The lady…well she didn't want you out until an hour later. She told us to keep you here until then."

"What?" I asked, surprised again. "Why'd you agree?"

He shrugged. "Her father used to work here as a cop…you can't say no to a colleagues daughter…"

I groaned in annoyance and turned to run out the jail cells area. "Wait!" he yelled. "Take your stuff!" I turned back, yanked my watch and wallet from his hands and started running, ignoring the continued shouting of the officer behind me. The station was filled with the other cops, looking concerned and curious as I ran past them. Some of them who I knew personally called out, asking what was wrong but I couldn't answer them. I had to get back to Bella's apartment. I had to hope that she was still there.

The police station luckily wasn't that far from our apartment building and I ran the whole way. The sun had just risen so the rush hour for work had yet to start. However there were a few stragglers from the night before stumbling home. They'd obviously been partying long into the night and the morning. They all looked dead tired but were surprised when they found me rushing past them like I was high on caffeine. I ignored their curses when I pushed past a few of them and just kept my mind on the street ahead. Not that far to go and I'd be there. She'd be there. She had to be there.

I finally reached the building. I half thought I'd see the scene from last night outside the building but there was nothing around that even hinted of the fight I had had with Newton. Without stopping, I ran up the front steps and into the lobby where low and behold the teenager with his texting phone was sitting. I ignored him and took the stairs two at a time to make it up to Bella's apartment.

I was out of breath when I reached her door but there was no way that I was giving up. Knocking on the door loudly I waited…and waited…and waited…She wasn't coming to the door. She must have known who it was and didn't want to see me. I wouldn't give up now. "Bella!" I yelled. "Bella, come on! Open the door! I just want to pay you back! Bella!" I knocked on the door again.

"Oh hello, young man."

I spun around to see the neighbor across the hall, an old woman, had opened her door and was smiling kindly at me. "Are you looking for that nice Isabella?" she continued, nodding to Bella's closed door.

"Uh, yes," I answered. "Is she not in?"

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "She left quite a while ago. Poor lamb looked a mess." She frowned and stepped forward so she could whisper. "She'd been crying about something. I think someone broke her little heart."

The guilt overwhelmed me when the old woman said those last words. It was obvious that her heart had been broken? That was my entire fault so I should have been wearing a sign that stated I was a heart breaker and not in a good way. "Do you know where she might have gone?" I asked the old woman, trying not to show her how guilty I really was.

"She said she was going home," the woman answered. "I don't know where her home is but she was taking an awful lot of things with her. Almost like she was planning on never coming back."

My heart seized in my chest when she told me she was never coming back. But when she said that Bella was going home I knew exactly where that was. Phoenix, Arizona. She was going back to her childhood home and was apparently not coming back. If she were going home that would mean she would be at the airport. She had an hour on me but if I had any luck I might be able to catch her on a late flight. I hoped I was right as I started down the hall back to the staircase. "Thank you!" I yelled back to the old woman before jumping down the stairs.

I stopped halfway down and realized something. If I was going to the airport to get Bella I needed a passport to get anywhere near the terminal she would be in. So, grumbling, I ran up to my apartment and grabbed my passport before going back down the stairs.

As soon as I was out on the street I flagged a cab. Luckily there was one passing by. He slowed down and I slipped inside. "The airport," I said before he could ask where I wanted to go. "And step on it."

"You got it," he muttered, starting the meter and pulling out into traffic. "So are you late for a flight or something?"

"You could say that," I answered, before spotting his phone. "Do you mind if I use your cell?"

"Sure," he said, handing it to me.

"Thanks," I murmured before dialing the number I knew so well. It rang for a few seconds before finally being picked up.

"Hello?" a tired voice grumbled.

"Seth," I barked. "Wake up, I need you to do something for me."

"Edward?" he questioned, moving around in what was probably his bed. "What the fuck? You do understand that it's six fifteen in the morning, right?"

"I don't give a rats ass about how early it is!" I said. "I need your help."

"All right, all right," he yawned. "What's up?"

"I need you to delay a flight at the airport."

There was silence on his side before he burst into laughter. "You're kidding, right?" he snorted. "The airport databases have more security on them than the police station does on theirs."

"Fuck," I hissed as the cab stopped at a red light. "I need to stop one of the flights!" I heard Seth getting out of his bed, not noticing how crazy I was. "Fine. Just tell me when the next flight to Phoenix is."

"Right, right," he muttered. I heard the squeaking of his office chair and the whirring of his computers starting up. "So what's this about?"

"I lost her," I muttered.

"That Bella girl?" he asked. "I thought you two had a good thing going?"

"We did," I sighed. "Until she found out about me."

Seth hissed in sympathy. "That sucks," he said.

"Yeah," I whispered.

There was a silence where just the traffic outside the cab and the clicking of Seth's computer was heard. "Here we go," he finally said. "All right…Phoenix, Phoenix…the last flight took over a few hours ago…oh! Next flight out is at…ohh…six forty-five. That's like…thirty minutes from now."

I groaned as the cab stopped at another light. "Where are you, anyway?" Seth asked.

"I'm in a cab headed for the airport," I said. "But the traffic is crazy."

"Wait a minute," Seth muttered. "What route in the driver taking?"

I moved forward. "What route are you taking?" I asked the cabbie.

He shrugged. "The back roads and then highway five."

I relayed the information to Seth. "Oh goody!" he laughed. "I have a great plan. What intersection are you at right now?"

"Uhh," I muttered looking for the street signs as we waited for the light to turn green. "Columbia street and…third avenue."

"Awesome!" Seth cried before chuckling darkly. "Watch this."

I didn't know what the hell he was talking about until I saw the red light switch to green while cars from the left and right were still driving through the intersection. Horns and screeching of brakes were heard as everyone became confused about the light change. Seth was laughing crazily in my ear. "Go, go, go!" I told the driver who was as confused as the other drivers. He did, however, drive through the mess of cars sitting in the intersection and continued on down the street.

"Jesus, Seth!" I crowed, turning around to look at the mess behind us.

"I'm a genius!" he laughed. "Ah! I've always wanted to do this! Like in those spy movies."

"Next one, Seth!" I snapped as the red light came closer.

"Oh right!" he said. "Red light…no more!" The light immediately turned green. The same thing happened as the cars screeched to a halt and confusion spread. My driver went right through it all again and seemed to be laughing to himself as we drove.

It was the same the whole way to the airport and I was sure that the police were going to be pissed once they found out about the traffic problems. Seth of course would never be connected to them. He was clean whenever he hacked into something. There was also no way that I could be connected unless my driver ratted me out. I didn't really believe he'd do that since he looked like he was having way too much fun. I also paid him without actually looking at my money when we got to the airport. Apparently he was happy because he thanked me over and over again. Whatever. I had a woman to find.

After hanging up on Seth and tossing the man his cell phone back, I ran into the airport and went straight to a flight desk where there wasn't a line. A man was talking with a colleague when I got there but looked up at me in confusion as I gasped against the desk. "I need…tickets to Phoenix," I managed to get out.

"The next flight leaves in ten minutes, sir," he stated. "You won't be able to make it."

I shook my head. "I'll make it," I gasped. "Just get me a ticket."

"Well I'll need your passport, sir."

I shoved it at him and he took it with a frown. "Please, hurry," I begged.

"Do you have any baggage to be-" he started to ask.

"No!" I yelled, making him jump. "I have nothing! Just hurry!"

He nodded and processed everything before handing me my ticket and passport. "Have a nice flight-"

I didn't listen to anything else he had to say. Instead I ran for the security area, thankful that I didn't have to pass through the customs area. However there was a large line for the security. Growling in annoyance and I pushed past everyone in the line making them shout and curse at me. One man tried to shove me back but I just kept on going until I came to the front of the line.  
"Sir, you have to wait," a woman security agent told me.

"I'm late!" I yelled, heading for through the metal detector. Of course it went off and they all pushed me back, ordering me to take off my shoes and all of the things in my pockets. Crying out in desperation, my eyes looked down at my watch to see I only had seven minutes left to get to the gate. I yanked my wallet out of my pocket and pulled off my watch and shoes. Tossing it all on to the conveyer belt, I ran through the metal detector and just kept going when I got the all clear.

"Sir!" the security called. "You've forgotten your things!"

"Keep them, I don't care!" I yelled back and kept running. I had all I need gripped in my hand. My passport and my ticket. Everything else didn't matter at the moment.

I'd never run so fast in my life. Even when I was on the track team in high school, I didn't run as fast as I did through that airport. Even when there was a scout looking for track runners to give scholarships to, I didn't run as fast as I did through that airport. Even when I was chasing after one of my other targets that I was getting a lot of money for following, I didn't run as fast as I did through that airport. At that moment, while I was dodging other people through the terminal, I realized that I had been wrong through my whole life. My career wasn't my life…my Bella was. And there was no way that I was losing her now. She was mine and I wasn't going to let her go so easily. I loved her far too much to even think of giving up on her.

I finally reached the gate just as they were closing the door to the ramp that led to the plane. "Wait!" I called, falling against the gate desk. The women standing there looked concerned since I almost fell over. "I need…to get on that plane!"

"I'm sorry, sir," the blonde woman said kindly. "But the plane is taxiing away as we speak. We can get you another flight…"

"You don't understand!" I cried. "I have to get on to this plane! The love of my life is about to leave me forever and I can't lose her. I love her, damn it! She's the most important thing in my life. I fucked up really bad and lost her but if I get on to this plane I might be able to get her back. I might be able to get her to admit that she loves me too! I can't lose her! I just can't! I made the mistake of believing my job was more important that her but I was wrong. I should have believed she was innocent from the start but I pushed her into the same category as all the other cheating women I'd met in my life, which was wrong. She's much better than all of them! She's smart and funny and beautiful…God is she beautiful! She's amazing and she's my life. So please. Please help me by letting me on that plane! I'm begging you!"

There was silence all through the terminal waiting area. Everyone was watching me and I was watching the woman behind the desk with bated breath. She stared at me with her mouth hanging open in shock. But she wasn't saying anything. Time was going by so fast and soon that plane would move away from the gate and take Bella away from me.

"Let him on!" I turned to see a young woman standing with her arms crossed over her chest and her glare centered on the woman I was talking with. She came to stand beside me. "Let him on the damn plane," she snarled.

"Yeah!" came a chorus of other people around us. "Let him on!"

The woman behind the desk seemed to shake herself out of her state. Staring at me one last time she grabbed the phone and dialed a number. "Hold the plane," she said, looking up at me. "There is a passenger waiting to board." She put the phone back down again and proceeded to open the door to the ramp.

I turned to the woman standing beside me. She couldn't have been more than thirty yet she had very old eyes as if she had been through things most thirty year olds didn't go through. Her black hair was curly and made her seem quite attractive. So where was her companion? However, around her neck was a gold necklace that held a picture of a man in what looked like an army uniform. So she did have someone.

"Thank you. But why did you help me?" I asked curiously.

She smiled, patting my arm. "You reminded me of my husband," she whispered. Her eyes watered slightly but she smiled nonetheless. "So get on that plane and find her. Don't waste any moments you have."

I nodded and went for the door only stopping once to turn and watch the woman lift her necklace and kiss it gently, her lips moving as if she were whispering to it.

There was a steward waiting for me once I ran down the ramp. He glared at me as he held open the door. "The plane will be leaving now, sir," he grumbled.

I nodded and slipped past him to walk quickly down the center aisle. People glared at me, annoyed that I'd held up the plane. I ignored them. My eyes were searching for the chestnut hair and the pale, heart shaped face of my Bella. She had to be on the plane. She just had to.

Finally I saw her. She was sitting in the aisle seat at the very back of the plane, an old woman sitting next to her. Her eyes were locked on the book in her lap, headphones in her ears. She looked better than she did an hour ago but she still looked broken. Her hair had been fixed but her eyes were still slightly red from crying. She had no idea that I was there.

I used that to my advantage and surprised her. It would have usually taken me a lot of strength to fall to my knees in front of a woman (in public no less) but this was Bella. If I didn't get down on my knees I would most surely lose her. There was no other choice to me as I came to where she was sitting and stopped. Noticing someone was in the aisle, Bella looked up and gasped when she saw me standing there. Before she could say anything, I got down on my knees and clasped her hand in both of mine. She tried to yank it away after getting over the shock of seeing me but I wouldn't let her go.

"Please listen to me," I said, my voice loud in the silent plane. Everyone was watching our exchange but I wouldn't let that take away my courage. I loved Bella too much to start thinking about my wounded ego. She was more important than that.

She pulled her earphones out and glared at me, still trying to reclaim her hand. "I'm not listening to anything you have to say," she hissed. "Now let go of me."

I shook my head. "No," I stated stubbornly. "I'm not going until you hear me out."

"You lied to me…Edward," she said, pausing on my name. "There is nothing else to talk about."

"Bella I made a mistake," I started, taking a breath to calm myself before giving my big speech. I hadn't planned it so I was basically flying by the seat of my pants. "The biggest mistake of my life and I'll do anything…anything to fix it. I love you, damn it! And I messed everything up because I'm the biggest idiot in the world. In the universe! I never believed that I would meet anyone as amazing as you. I've just met so many cheating women while doing my job and I never knew there were women like you. Smart and funny and beautiful...You're my everything, Bella! Please. You have to believe me."

The plane was plunged into silence again as Bella stared disdainfully at me. I stayed on my knees, clutching her hand and begging her with my eyes. She had to believe me. She had to stay. I just couldn't imagine my life without her in it. Not meeting her everyday for work. Not going out to that little café for lunch with her. Not waking up next to her every morning…

"I can barely look at you without thinking about what you did," she whispered, dropping my gaze and fingering the pages of her book.

My heart fell at her words but I kept trying. "Time," I said, squeezing her hand. "I can give you as much time you need. Just please…don't leave the city. Don't go off to hide from me. Just…stay here for a…month, maybe, and then make up your decision. Give yourself some time to process it all and not act so harshly. I promise I won't come near you or contact you at all until you call me. Please…don't run."

Again I was answered with silence and I was sure everyone could hear my thumping heartbeat. I was so nervous that my palms had begun to sweat and Bella could have easily slid her hand out of my grasp. But she didn't move at all. She just stared at her book and fingered the pages.

"A very brave young man."

Both Bella and I (and the entire plane I was sure) looked up to see the old woman next to her had spoken. She was cleaning her glasses with a cloth, looking like she hadn't even said anything. The woman took her time placing the spectacles back on her nose, fixing her white hair (which had been perfectly curled) before finally looking up at Bella. She smiled slightly, looking very grandmotherly towards Bella as she patted her hand gently.

"Excuse me?" Bella finally stuttered out in surprise.

The woman chuckled slightly. "Your man here," she said, pointing towards me. Bella opened her mouth, probably to contradict the woman calling me her man, but she went on. "He's very brave getting down on her knees like that. Not many men would do that, especially in public." She nodded to herself before going through her purse.

"Umm…" Bella whispered. "I don't understand what you're trying to say."

The old woman chuckled again, shaking her head before looking back at Bella. "It's very difficult for a man to get down on his knees," she stated. "Men are not known to submit to anyone, especially women. You can see that throughout history. They are supposed to be the dominant. They take control of everything, not showing their feelings because that is supposedly seen as soft. It takes a very strong and brave man to do what yours is doing. That's a big bash to his ego right about now, embarrassing himself in front of all these people. He must really love you."

I silently thanked the old woman in my head as Bella looked to be considering her words. "How…how do you know that?" she whispered to the woman.

"Well," she said. "My husband, Henry, lied to me once." She took a breath before breaking into her story. "It wasn't a good economic time, you see, and we'd just gotten married. He told me he had a job when really he didn't. He'd become a pickpocket and a con man instead. I was very angry when I found out about it. I didn't realize that he risked his life by stealing from some very dangerous people to make sure I ate each night. All I saw was that he had lied to me."

She paused, searching through her purse again. "So…what did you do?" Bella prompted.

"Well I left him and the house we'd just bought stupidly," she chuckled. "I went to live with my parents, wanting to divorce him but not finding the courage to sign the papers. I still loved him even though he'd lied to me. I was in an awful mess."

She smiled wistfully. "He tried to talk to me for months but my father continually turned him away from the house. I still can't understand why he didn't just move on to the next girl. Lord knows he was a handsome fellow. But he never gave up on me, even after we'd been apart for a year. That's when I finally got the courage to face him in person and sign the divorce papers. My mother hated it since she saw it as a sin. 'You're married for life' she used to tell me but I met Henry to sign the papers I had picked up.

"I chose a very public place to meet him and he found me there. Of course I still loved him but I held a grudge against him and his one lie. He came up to me in that busy city square…and got down on his knees to beg for my forgiveness." She laughed at the memory. "The old fool embarrassed himself well. He didn't get up until I agreed to hear him out. And then he told me why he'd done what he'd done and that he'd finally found a good and steady job at the shipyard. He begged me to stay with him, at least for a little while. I did…and those divorce papers were never signed." She smiled with misty eyes. "We were together for fifty years and he never lied to me again. Quite hard to believe, but it's true."

The plane was completely silent again. Everyone, including myself, was waiting for Bella's reaction to the old woman's story. She was staring at her book again, her expression unreadable. I was becoming even more desperate as the silence went on. It felt like hours until she finally looked up at me. I could see the decision in her brown eyes.

"You'll give me space?" she whispered to me.

I nodded quickly. "As much time as you need." I just hoped it wasn't going to take a year like with the old woman and her husband.

She sat there for another moment before breathing deeply. She turned to look at the woman sitting next to her. "Thank you," she murmured and turned back to look at me. "I'm not getting back together with you now. I need time and space." My heart clenched painfully. "But…I will stay in Seattle until I really make up my mind about you." She closed her book and stuffed it and her IPod into her bag before looking at me again. "Excuse me."

I was frozen in shock for a moment before I jumped to my feet and moved for her to walk past me. She did so, shouldering her bag and going towards the front of the plane. All of the passengers watched her until she stopped and turned to stare at me.

A short tap on my arm made me look down at the old woman who sat alone in her chair now. She smiled and winked at me. "Don't mess it up again," she said.

"Thank you," I choked out. She just shrugged and went back to rummaging her bag.

"Come on!" Bella shouted from the front of the plane. "You're paying my cab fee."

So, it wasn't exactly a romantic reunion. She didn't leap into my arms and declare her love for me but I'd take whatever I could get at that moment. I'd make it up to her…if she forgave me…

**EPILOGUE**

The sounds of the waves washing against the sand almost made me feel like falling asleep. The sun was hot against my closed eyelids but I relished in the warmth. It made me sigh with pleasure. It was such a beautiful afternoon that I couldn't help but feel happy. Here I was sitting on a secluded beach house's porch on the coast of Barbados with a cold beer in my hand and a comfortable deck chair to sit in. Could life get any better? Oh yeah…and there was also the fact that my beautiful girlfriend was inside the little house getting herself another cold drink. Soon she'd be coming back outside in that little navy bikini I'd begged her to wear, the sun glowing off her soft pale skin and revealing the red in her chestnut hair. Yes, Bella was always beautiful when she was out in the sunlight even though she easily burned.

I couldn't help but think about how we had got where we were. I still remembered that day on the plane when she decided to not leave Seattle. She had gone back to her apartment alone and I had gone to mine. I realized, as I sat on my sofa, that I hadn't told her about the cameras in her apartment. That could wait until she'd calmed down a little…unless she found them. I couldn't chose which would be better: her finding them or me telling her about them. Either way she'd be angry with me. So I decided to wait.

It had only been a day after that when I got a call from Jessica. She'd finally believed me after she saw Lauren with Mike in the hospital. As his wife, she'd been notified about his broken nose so she came only to find Lauren tending to her husband. To say she was angry was an understatement. Apparently his newly set nose had been broken again when she was finished with him. Jessica filed for divorce and moved out of Mike's fancy condo, demanding I move out of the apartment she'd given me so she could live there instead. I'd done so willing, knowing that Bella was safe from the wrath of Jessica and that moving out of the apartment would mean I was finished that job for good. I got a room at one of the local hotels instead but obviously not the Kings (disgusting). I would stay close in case Bella ever needed me.

However she didn't call or talk to me for a whole month. I found myself sitting in my hotel room watching television for days, ordering room service and not going out at all. The room became a mess, matching my appearance. I wore the same clothes everyday, didn't shave and sometimes missed showering. Thank God Jessica paid me all that money to find out about Mike. If I didn't have it I would have had to take on another case, which I was not in the mood for. Instead I just sat on my ass for a month, dreaming about Bella coming back to me.

It was a few days after the beginning of a new month when I knock came at my hotel room door. Grumbling, I pushed myself off the bed and stumbled towards the door. I opened it, expecting to see the maid demanding I let her clean the room but was surprised to see Bella standing there. She was biting her lip and watching her feet when I opened the door but she looked up to meet my eyes before gasping. "Edward," she whispered. I reveled in the way she said my real name. "What have you been doing to yourself?"

I was frozen again as I stared down at her in shock. She shook her head before pushing me back into the room and switching on the light as she closed the door. I blinked, blinded by the sudden light in the room but she just pushed me back until I was sitting on the messy bed. Putting her hands on her hips she frowned at me. "When was the last time you shaved? You look like a mountain man," she stated.

"I'll take that as a compliment," I muttered, rubbing my hand over my beard.

She sighed before switching off the television I'd been watching. "Well at least you're not drunk," she said, running her hands through her hair. "You could have at least let the maid clean the room. It's a disaster!" When I didn't answer she threw her hands up in the air and began to throw out the garbage lying around the room. She muttered words such as 'disgusting' and 'pigsty'. I just watched her, still amazed to see her at all. I wondered what she was doing in my hotel room. Had she come to tell me she forgave me? Had she come to tell me to stay away from her? I didn't know but I was desperate to find out.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

She froze with her back to me. It took her a moment to turn around and look at me with those soulful brown eyes. "Do you…not want me to be here?" she whispered.

"No!" I cried, jumping up and going to her to take her soft hands in mine. "Of course not. I've been hoping you would come but I was…well I was beginning to lose that hope."

We stared at each for a moment before she pulled her hands from mine. I sighed before sitting on the bed again, my heart clenching painfully. "You're here to tell me to stay away, aren't you?" I murmured. "Well I promised I would do that if you wanted me to. So consider me gone. Just give me some time to find out where to go-"

A gentle hand on my head made me go silent. Bella's magic fingers ran through my hair, her nails scraping softly against my scalp making my eyes close in pleasure. I was almost purring like a cat or howling like a dog. Either way, she had reduced me to the animal that I was with just a touch.

"No," she finally answered in a sigh, her fingers still doing wonders with my hair. "I'm not here to tell you to stay away." My eyes opened to stare at her, waiting for the real reason why she was in my hotel room at that moment. She bit her lip before answering. "I'm…willing…to give us another chance."

I couldn't help myself as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed my face to her stomach. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I chanted, my voice muffled by her shirt. I didn't realize at that point that I looked like a complete idiot, not to mention desperate. But there was one thing I couldn't deny. I was desperate and I would do anything to have that second chance that she dangled in front of me.

To say that Bella was surprised would be an understatement. She nearly toppled over when I grabbed her. "You're….umm…welcome?" she said with a nervous laugh.

I let her go, running a hand through my hair and smiling sheepishly. "Sorry," I apologized. "I'm just so…happy." I laughed and stood to walk away from her before returning, looking her right in the eyes. "This is real, right? You're not tricking me or something? Because…this just seems so…unreal."

"Well," she started in a small voice and my heart froze again in terror. "I'm willing to start fresh. I'm willing to get to know Edward." She smiled at me before sticking her hand out. "Hello. I'm Bella Swan."

I took it hesitantly, reveling in the softness of her skin. We shook hands slowly and with purpose. "Hello, Bella," I murmured. "I'm Edward. Edward Masen."

"Well, Edward," she said with a grin. "I like movies. I'll get the tickets if you buy the popcorn."

The following weeks were amazing to me. Every night was filled Bella. Whether we went to the movies, to a club or a restaurant, we always had fun. I finally got to be myself whenever we talked about one another. I practically knew everything about her but there were some things she needed to know about me. Like what my job really was. She was surprisingly very interested in my past cases. Of course I stayed off the cases with the cheating wives (where I almost always had to seduce it out of them) but she seemed fascinated in everything else. She also figured out that most of what I'd told her as Ted was true, such as my likes and dislikes. I had obviously lost my character along the way.

During those weeks I wasn't allowed to touch or kiss her like I used to. We were like two teenagers dating, trying not to cross the line into intimacy. I wanted to so desperately but always caught myself before I did anything. I wasn't going to lose her because my libido was eating at the bit to get to her. He could wait until she was comfortable with me.

Not only did we date during those weeks, but we also went to the Cityspace building to deal with our past jobs. Bella had already quit so she only had to come back to collect some of her things. Luckily we didn't meet Mike on the way out but we did run into Emmett. He was happy to see us both but was sad when I told him we'd both be leaving. It was at that point where I got up the courage to tell him who I really was and why I had got a job at Cityspace. He'd taken one blank look at me before his fist connected with my face. I'd received a black eye from a man that used to be a good friend of mine. Luckily Bella had been there to stop him before he did anything worse to me. Emmett was still pissed at me when he turned and left us, angry with Bella for taking my side on the matter. Even after a few weeks Emmett was still wary of me. I hoped we'd go back to the great friendship we'd had before but it would all take time.

Even though Jessica had paid me a whole bunch for finding out about Mike's infidelity, I still didn't have enough money to support myself. I needed a job since I'd quit the PI business but of course Bella was also in the same boat. But fate seemed to step in when Alice called to ask what had been happening with her friend. Bella explained her situation (including my lies which also made Alice angry) and the pixie had immediately come up with a solution to Bella's problem. Her sexy cowboy Jasper (her words, not mine) was the owner of an up and coming music production company. He was looking for a new personal assistant (whether that was Alice's doing or not, I didn't know) and he was willing to give Bella a job. She didn't have to travel with him since the company's headquarters was in Seattle and she could easily walk there from her apartment. Bella was ecstatic and I was happy for her. Only I had no job and staying in a hotel room for a long time wasn't cheap.

Bella suggested I try the police station. I doubted that I would be able to squeeze my way into the force since I didn't have the education but I had been proven wrong. Apparently the chief had heard about my investigations and was willing to give me a job. It was a desk job of course but I knew that if I worked my ass off I might just be able to work my way up the ladder. It was worth a shot and the guys I worked with were actually fun to be around. I actually liked my job for once.

Then there was Seth. I'd told the kid (after introducing him and his mother to Bella) that I wouldn't need his help anymore. He was sad about the 'termination of our partnership' (as he called it) but he told me he had something much more important now. I was shocked to find out that he'd found a girlfriend. Of course she wasn't exactly super model material but he was completely enraptured with her. They'd met on the one time that Seth had left his basement to pick up some things from the grocery store for his mother. She was a geek like he was in all the stereotypical ways. Black rimmed glasses, braces and a huge crush on Han Solo. He was still waiting for his first kiss but I was happy that he'd found someone. It meant that he had to leave the house more often. It would be good for him.

After a month of dating Bella, I was finally allowed to kiss her. It made me crazy that it took so much time to even give her a little peck on the mouth but I'd come too far to let up now. As that month went on she became more comfortable with me. I was allowed to hold her hand, kiss her and just keep her close to me at all times. A few weeks in we hit the major physical point in our relationship. She let me into her apartment…and allowed me to stay over night…in her bed…after a playful romp between the sheets. God I'd missed touching her, holding her and just being with her. Getting down on my knees in front of a whole plane full of people was worth it all, especially when she called, cried, laughed or screamed my name…my real name. She wanted me and not some made up character. I was the one that got to hold her at night and wake up next to her in the morning. I was the one that got to make her laugh or listen to her corny jokes. Whenever she talked she was talking to me. Never had I been so thankful for second chances.

Speaking of second chances…Bella walked out from the beach house we'd rented in Barbados, smiling when she saw me sitting in the sun. My grin grew wider when I noticed she was still wearing the bikini I'd picked out for this trip. "Now isn't that a sight to behold," I chuckled as she put her beer down on the wooden table next to me. She rolled her eyes, blushing lightly.

Before she could pull her hand away from the drink, I grabbed her arm and pulled her down until she fell into my lap with a gasp. My arms wrapped around her, keeping her prisoner. She laughed before wiggling her ass on my lap. I groaned, my swim trunks becoming suddenly too tight as she smirked. "You know what you're doing," I choked as she gently touched my bare chest.

She shrugged, looking innocent. "Doing what?" she asked, failing to her hide smile.

I grabbed her hands and stared hard at her. "You better be willing to finish this," I warned.

Her smile grew in response. "Finish? Whatever do you mean?" she teased.

"That's it."

I stood suddenly, snatching her up when she tried to run and throwing her over my shoulder. She squealed when I swung the beach house door open and took her inside. "No, no, no!" she laughed before I marched towards the bedroom and slammed the door after us.

**THE END**

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**Author's Notes**

Hello ladies! Guess where I'm writing this from? FLORIDA! (insert squealing) Finished this chapter on the plane and posted it while staring at our rented house pool with the lake right behind it. (insert sigh) Went to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it was great! Highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of the boy who lived since you can drink some butter beer and get on the awesome ride inside the huge Hogwarts castle. Sadly there was no Cedric merchandise.

Getting back to my stories…the prologue for the cowboy story is finished and will be posted once I get home to my PC where it's saved. I might write the first chapter on the plane home (insert sad face) and then hopefully finish it before college starts. I will also, after cowboyward is over, be getting you guys to vote for my next story. I have about five ideas that you guys can chose from. Oh the possibilities!

So until then, carribbeanlady is out!


	9. VOTE VOTE VOTE!

**(This post has been fixed to include the correct URL!)**

**VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!**

Hey everybody!

It's been a while, I know. School took up my time, followed by an internship and now job-hunting, so I've been pretty busy. My muse for writing has been pretty low for a while now.

BUT I've got back into it all…sort of.

I know I've left you all high and dry with Wanted: Dead or Alive, and I promise I'll finish it ASAP, but right now I need your help!

I've submitted a story to this **contest **called **So You Think You Can Write**. The romance publisher **Harlequin** is holding it and the first prize is getting your story published. And if I get enough votes from the public **I might even get discovered by Harlequin!**

Soooooo…that's where you lovely people come into play! I need your help!

Voting begins **October 1****st** **2012 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time **and ends **October 11****th** **2012**.

Everyone can vote **once a day**.

My story is called **A Wyoming Match**.

Here is a link to my story and it _is _a **cowboy story**!

www. soyouthinkyoucanwrite dot com /manuscripts/ a-wyoming-match/

(INSERT PERIOD IN PLACE OF "DOT" AND REMOVE SPACES IN URL!)

Please, please, please vote for me! Whether you vote once or eleven times, I'm just thankful to have such great readers! You guys have been so supportive thus far and this one last push might actually get me published!

Thanks!

**VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!**


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